Key facts
- Brazil's presidential election is highly polarized and could impact the direction of Latin America.
- The election features incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
- Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
- Lula has accused US President Trump of interfering in Brazil's election.
- Flávio Bolsonaro has pledged to join a US-led anti-drug cartel coalition.
- If no candidate wins more than 50% in the first round, a runoff election is scheduled for October 25.
Brazilians are heading to the polls on Sunday for the first round of a highly polarized presidential election that could significantly alter the trajectory of Latin America's largest economy and the wider region. The election pits the incumbent leftwing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, seeking a fourth term, against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of Donald Trump.
Lula, 80, has positioned himself as a bulwark against US influence, recently accusing President Trump of attempting to interfere in Brazil's election in favor of Bolsonaro. Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, has echoed his father's pro-Trump stance and pledged to join a US-led anti-drug cartel coalition. The race has been unpredictable, with both candidates focusing on undecided voters to secure the necessary 50% plus one vote to avoid a runoff, which is scheduled for October 25.
One voter, Claudinei Ferreira Viana, a 45-year-old workshop manager, expressed support for Flávio Bolsonaro, stating that while his first choice would have been Jair Bolsonaro, Flávio was the strongest rightwing alternative. Initially, polls suggested other candidates might lead the Bolsonaro ticket, but the former president ultimately chose his eldest son. The campaign has been marked by a scandal involving Senator Bolsonaro allegedly seeking funds for a film about his father from a banker accused of corruption, and speculation about his stance on the country's patron saint. Analysts attribute Bolsonaro's competitiveness to a transfer of his father's voter base, who narrowly lost to Lula in 2022, and a significant anti-Lula sentiment, with the incumbent president facing high rejection rates despite positive social and economic indicators.
Lula's campaign has also faced corruption allegations involving his son and a former aide, as well as a scandal concerning supreme court justices, which, though unconnected to Lula, is seen as fueling an anti-establishment vote. In addition to the presidential race, Brazilians will elect 27 state governors, all 513 federal congress members, and 54 of the country's 81 senators. AMC, a voter in Amazonas state who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal, stated she would vote for Lula to protect Indigenous rights and the Amazon, which she believes would be threatened under a Bolsonaro presidency.