BRASILIA — A juicy steak could come between Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his dreams of a fourth term.

While campaigning in 2022, the veteran leftist vowed to put “picanha” on the plates of the people but that promise has come back to haunt him as the price of Brazilians’ favorite cut of beef—a slab of rump bordered by a cap of fat—creeps higher.

Lula’s main rival in October’s elections, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of jailed former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, delights in reminding Lula of his failure to deliver steak for all.

“Given that Lula did not bring picanha, I brought some here today,” the 45-year-old conservative announced at a recent campaign event where he dished out plates of grilled meat.

The picanha is a relatively expensive cut in Brazil, the world’s biggest beef exporter, where weekends are often spent barbecuing with family and friends.

It ranges in price from 80 to 110 reais (US$15-US$21) per kilo.

“When you eat picanha, you’re eating like the rich,” said Mirne Franco, owner of a butcher shop on the outskirts of the capital Brasilia.