In October 2026 a statuesque young man, shirtless and wearing gray sweatpants and a mask, waved a pro‑Lula flag and a Palestinian flag atop a structure at Trianon‑Masp metro station on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, during a pro‑democracy march. The moment was caught on camera and the image spread like wildfire. The photograph of the young man at the rally became a symbol of the Brazilian election campaign, offering what looked like a perfect formula whose ingredients were physical beauty, a certain fetish, political conviction and an instant mystery — and internet users, skilled at spotting whoever is struck by the viral wand, were quick to identify him. He was Israel Augusto, christened “o gostoso da Paulista” (the hottie of Paulista), who has nearly 400,000 followers on Instagram.

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