Brazilian voters are set to choose their next president and lawmakers on Sunday, but the ballot will also feature a long-running tradition of colorful candidates running under nicknames such as “Plínio Trump,” “Mick Jagger” and “Henrique Barack Obama.”

Nearly 159 million voters are expected to participate in the Oct. 4 general election, selecting a president, governors, senators and members of the federal Chamber of Deputies. More than 20,500 candidates have registered across the races, including 13 presidential contenders.

Brazil has maintained a tradition of “joke” or protest candidates for roughly eight decades. Electoral rules allow candidates to use nicknames as long as they are affiliated with a registered political party and meet the country’s requirements for office.

One of the more prominent examples this year is Plínio Trump, the campaign name of 59-year-old pilot Plínio Vicentin Junior, who is running for Congress in Minas Gerais. He has modeled his campaign around President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, driving an older vehicle decorated with American flags, using Trump’s mannerisms and promoting the slogan “Make Brazil Great Again.” The comparison began in 2015 when fellow helicopter pilots told him he resembled the American president. Vicentin has embraced it, telling the Associated Press that Trump is “likeable, iconic” and that most voters smile and embrace him rather than mock the resemblance.

Another congressional candidate is Severino Cardoso Sobrinho, a Recife taxi driver known as the “Samurai Taxi Driver.” The nickname became popular after videos of him performing karate and kung fu went viral in 2021. A fan of Bruce Lee, he is now seeking a seat in Congress under that name.

Célio José Morais, a doctor and city councilman from Jaboticabal in São Paulo state, is running under the persona “Good Lula.” He belongs to the Liberal Party, associated with former President Jair Bolsonaro, and says his political beliefs oppose those of the socialist president despite a physical resemblance. His campaign includes a jingle describing the “Good Lula” as having all 10 fingers and never stealing.

Cláudio Henrique dos Anjos is running for Senate in the Federal District as “Henrique Barack Obama,” adopting the former U.S. president’s public posture and mannerisms more than a physical likeness.

The tradition has occasionally produced winners. Comedian and clown Francisco Everardo Oliveira Silva, better known as Tiririca, won a congressional seat in 2010 with slogans such as “It can’t get any worse.” He remains in Congress and is seeking reelection in 2026 with a campaign that includes a He-Man parody. Other candidates this year are running under names such as “Mick Jagger,” “Tsunami Grandmother,” and “Lonely Boy.”

While the names and personas may draw attention, the candidates are legitimate participants who must meet the same basic legal requirements as other contenders for public office.