André Janones Shares Behind-the-Scenes Photos of Lula’s Turkey Trip

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva traveled to Antalya, Turkey, with federal deputy André Janones, first lady Janja Lula da Silva and government ministers. Janones, who manages the WhatsApp channel “Lula’s Army,” has used it to share glimpses of the trip and the president’s schedule.

Lula is in Antalya to attend the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP31. Janones created the channel during Lula’s successful runoff campaign. It is designed to bring the president closer to supporters through a more informal style than the government’s official communications.

On Nov. 9, while boarding the presidential plane, Janones posted a selfie with Janja and a photo of Lula seated inside the aircraft. He also used the channel to report the group’s arrival and update followers about the president’s agenda. The channel has more than 10 million followers, according to its published description.

Janones said the day involved internal meetings and preparations for the following day. He added that he and Lula might hold a brief livestream later that day to discuss expectations for Brazil’s participation in COP31, and urged followers to watch the channel for updates. Janones called the trip the channel’s first international mission and said its followers would be important to the effort.

Janones plans to continue using his channels to engage left-leaning voters and press Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate on issues important to the federal government. Since the election, the channel has also shared material about Lula and Janones. Janones’ social media work has led to invitations to discuss strategies for defeating political opponents in countries including Spain and Argentina. The “Lula’s Army” concept has also inspired similar initiatives among left-wing groups in France, Spain and Argentina.