The digital army that catapulted Lula to victory in Brazil

• Lula won Brazil’s election after a huge social media push, with a WhatsApp network growing from a few thousand to 10 million supporters.
• His victory beat Flavio Bolsonaro and blocked the Bolsonaro family’s return, after voters feared threats to democracy and a possible rewrite of Brazil’s constitution.
• The vote was chaotic and contested, with delays, legal threats and claims of bias, but officials said Brazil’s electronic voting system remained secure.

Rio de Janeiro - It started with a WhatsApp channel with a few thousand followers. It exploded into a digital army of 10 million people that helped swing Latin America’s biggest election.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil staged a stunning comeback on Oct 25, achieving an unexpected victory over Flavio Bolsonaro, the right-wing challenger whose father tried to stage a coup after losing the last election.