It took Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva four attempts before he was elected as Brazil's president
Lula's 2002 election victory marked the end of an unprecedented journey from abject poverty to the presidency of Brazil.
On coming to power he vowed to eradicate hunger and create a self-confident, caring, outward-looking nation. He duly delivered because his government's social programmes benefited tens of millions of Brazilians.
He ruled the country for eight years, raising Brazil's profile on the international scene and presided over the country's longest period of economic growth in three decades.
However he has faced charges of corruption, money laundering, influence peddling and obstruction of justice. Lula has always denied the accusations, and his supporters say he has been unfairly targeted.
Even as he battles to overturn a 12-year-prison sentence imposed on him by three judges at the appeals court in Porto Alegre, Lula remains the frontrunner in the presidential election scheduled for 7 October.
