On Monday, August 17, 2026, the first day of official campaigning for Brazil's 2026 presidential election, candidates released their schedules for the day. According to CNN Brasil, most contenders chose to remain in the Southeast region, the country's most populous area.
Lula's Northern Move
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, representing the Workers' Party (PT), broke from this pattern by announcing a visit to the state of Amapá. His trip follows the discovery of oil indications by Petrobras in the Foz do Rio Amazonas area, specifically in the FZA-M-59 block along the Equatorial Margin. Lula is expected to visit the probe ship operating in the block and comment on the find.
Opposition Concentrates in the Southeast
Several major opponents directed their efforts to the Southeast. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL‑RJ), son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, planned a motorcycle rally in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, beginning at Serrinha Airport and covering 7.8 kilometers to the city's Central Station Square. After the rally, he was scheduled to attend the launch of Flávio Roscoe's (PL) candidacy for Minas Gerais governor in Belo Horizonte.
Renan Santos of the Mission party (Missão) remained in São Paulo after launching his campaign at Largo São Francisco. He intended to attend the 27th Annual Santander Conference, then participate in a SBT interview.
Former Minas Gerais governor Romeu Zema (Novo) also scheduled to be in São Paulo for the Santander Conference, followed by a public leadership dinner.
Governor Ronaldo Caiado (União Brasil, Goiás) planned to attend a Voto Group event in São Paulo before joining the Santander Conference.
Campaign Context
The Southeast's dominance in day‑one activities reflects its electoral weight, housing the largest voter concentration in Brazil. Lula's decision to travel north highlights the strategic importance of the Amapá oil indication, which could influence both energy policy and regional development debates.
All described activities are drawn from the candidates' published agendas as reported by CNN Brasil. No additional sources were consulted for this piece.