Brazil: Polls close in tight race between Lula and Bolsonaro
Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right populist President Jair Bolsonaro, is taking on incumbent left-wing President Lula da Silva. Polls show the first round of voting will likely lead to a runoff.
Brazil's presidential election polls have closed on Sunday. The race is between leftist incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his 45-year-old rival, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. The election is projected to be a close contest, with neither candidate expected to secure more than half of the vote. This would prevent a runoff election set for October 25.
Lula, 80, focused his campaign on continuing the leftist Workers' Party platform of welfare programs and income redistribution. Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has pushed for hardline security policies and tax cuts, criticizing Lula as "incompetent". Flavio's father is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup in 2022.
Both candidates have been accused of ties to US President Donald Trump, who placed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports over Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial. The US president called the case a "witch hunt". Both Bolsonaros have similar policies, including relaxed gun control and skepticism of climate change. Recent polls show Lula leading with 46% and Bolsonaro at 45%.
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