Brazil is preparing for general elections on October 4, 2026, where nearly 159 million citizens will cast votes for president, senators, and other officials. The upcoming contest is marked by a diverse array of parody candidates who use humor and celebrity impersonation to attract voters.
Plínio Trump and the 'Make Brazil Great Again' Campaign
Plínio Vicentin Junior, a 59-year-old pilot from Minas Gerais , is running for Congress under the nickname "Plínio Trump." As the report says, Vicentin Junior has modeled his entire campaign after Donald Trump and the MAGA movement,even driving a vehicle decorated with American flags and using the slogan "Make Brazil Great Again."
The inspiration for this persona reportedly began in 2015 within a WhatsApp group for helicopter pilots, where colleagues noted his physical resemblance to the former U.S. president.. According to the source, Vicentin Junior views Donald Trump as an iconic figure and claims that voters in the city of Juiz de Fora have responded to his campaign with smiles and hugs rather than ridicule.
The 'Good Lula' and the Liberal Party’s Satire
In the state of São Paulo, Dr. Célio José Morais is running for Congress as the "Good Lula," a direct parody of the incumbent socialist president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Morais, who currently serves as a city councilor in Jaboticabal, is a member of the Liberal Party (PL), the same conservative organization led by former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The "Good Lula" campaign relies on a sharp contrast between Morais and the actual President Lula da Silva. Morais has explicitly stated that unlike the socialist president , he has ten fingers—a reference to the fact that President Lula da Silva lost his left pinky in a 1960s workplace accident—and claims he has never stolen from anyone. This satirical approach allows Morais to leverage his physical resemblance to the president while positioning his political ideals as the complete opposite of the current administration.
Samurai Taxi Drivers and the Brazilian Barack Obama
Other candidates are utilizing niche personas to gain visibility in the 2026 race. Severino Cardoso Sobrinho, a taxi driver from Recife, Pernambuco, is running under the moniker "Samurai Taxi Driver." Sobrinho, who is in his late 60s, gained social media fame for his kung fu and karate performances inspired by Bruce Lee.
Similarly, Cláudio Henrique dos Anjos is seeking a Senate seat in Brazil's Federal District under the name "Henrique Barack Obama." While those close to the candidate admit he does not physiclaly resemble the 44th U.S. president, his campaign focuses on emulaating the specific posture and demeanor of Barack Obama to stand out on the ballot.
Tiririca's 2010 Victory and the Tradition of the Clown
The presence of these candidates is part of an eight-decade tradition of protest voting in Brazil. The most prominent example is Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, known as "Tiririca," a comedian and clown who successfully ran for Congress in 2010 . Tiririca won his seat by leaning into his ignorance of the legislative process, using slogans such as "What does a federal Congressman do? I really don't know. vote for me and I will find out for you."
Tiririca, who represented the centrist Social Democratic Party in São Paulo, is once again seeking reelection in 2026. His current campaign includes advertisements where he parodies the 1980s cartoon character He-Man, signaling that the "clown" persona remains a viable political strategy in the eyes of a disillusioned electorate.
Which Parties are Sponsoring the 2026 Parody Candidates?
Under Brazilian electoral law, joke candidates cannot run independently; they must be affiliated with a duly registered political party and meet all standard registration requirements. While the report identifies the Liberal Party (PL) as the home of the "Good Lula," it remains unclear which specific parties are sponsoring candidates like Plínio Trump or the Samurai Taxi Driver.
Furthermore, the source does not detail how these parties justify the inclusion of parody candidates on their official tickets. It is unknown whether these candidates are viewed by party leadership as a way to capture protest votes or if they are simply tolerated as long as they meet the legal criteria for candidacy.
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