Brazilians voted on Sunday in a presidential runoff that polls showed was too close to call, with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seeking a fourth non-consecutive term against right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, is trying to recover after finishing second to Bolsonaro in the first round earlier this month.
The result will decide whether Brazil stays one of Latin America’s few leftist governments or joins a regional swing to the right. Lula has cast himself as a defender against US interference and democratic backsliding, saying after voting in Sao Paulo that the right “wants to govern with the American flag.” Bolsonaro, 45, has promised to crack down on crime and cut government spending, telling reporters in Rio de Janeiro that “the time has come for real change.”
Flavio Bolsonaro presents himself as more moderate than his father, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election. He has said he would free his father and seek the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who led the case against the former president.
Heavy rain fell across the country on Sunday, which could affect turnout after a record abstention rate in the first round. Polls close at 5pm local time (2000 GMT), with results expected within hours. Whoever wins faces a difficult aftermath, with right-wing parties having made sweeping gains in Congress.
Leave a reaction