Brazil is holding the second round of its presidential election today, with incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva facing Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro.
This is reported by DW.
In the first round earlier this month, Bolsonaro finished ahead of Lula by more than 2.2 million votes. More than 33 million voters out of nearly 160 million did not take part in the ballot.
Today’s contest is expected to be extremely tight. Latest polls suggest Lula is narrowing the gap.
To become president in Brazil, a candidate must win more than 50% of the vote.
The election is set to determine Brazil’s political direction. The 80-year-old Lula is a veteran of centre-left politics, while the 45-year-old right-wing politician Bolsonaro is a US ally. A Bolsonaro victory could determine how far the United States is able to strengthen its influence in Latin America.
Lula is calling for the continuation of his social policies aimed at boosting employment and tackling poverty, while Bolsonaro promises tougher measures to combat crime and to deliver a “new political beginning”.
Flávio has also pledged that, if elected, he will secure the release of his father, who is currently under house arrest over an attempted coup in 2022.
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Lula previously served as head of state from 2003 to 2010, and became president again in 2023. He has previously had differences with US President Donald Trump on trade and security issues, and his victory could create obstacles for Washington.
Flávio Bolsonaro has been a member of the Senate since 2019 and is running for president for the first time.
- The renewed showdown between Lula and Bolsonaro comes amid corruption scandals, an economic downturn and allegations of US interference, which Washington denies.
- About 159 million voters are eligible to take part in the election. Preliminary results are expected on Sunday evening.