It was Lula’s third marriage, as he is known to Brazilians. His two previous wives – Maria de Lourdes da Silva and Marisa Leticia – are deceased.
Lula began his relationship with his new wife, nicknamed Janja, in 2017 while he was in prison following corruption convictions which were later overturned by Brazil’s Supreme Court.
“I decided to remarry because I believe Brazil can be fixed,” Lula said at the Roman Catholic ceremony, according to a statement. “A 76-year-old man in love like me, ready to get married, can only wish good things for this country.”
Lula’s social media biography was quickly updated to add that he is now “Janja’s husband”.
The Sao Paulo wedding venue was kept secret until Wednesday afternoon due to fears of protests from Bolsonaro supporters, like other events Lula attended. Guests included politicians, old friends of the couple and artists, including Grammy Award winner Gilberto Gil.
As they left, they received souvenirs with an embroidered inscription reading “O Amor Venceu” (Love has won). Lula has sought to characterize the presidential race as a fight between love and hate, linking the latter in his speeches to Bolsonaro’s campaign.
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