Brazil's 2026 presidential election is kicking off with polls showing Lula and Bolsonaro nearly tied.
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 is set to hold its presidential election on Sunday, with polls suggesting a very close contest between the incumbent leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his right-wing challenger, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula, now 80 years old, is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, while Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, is looking to continue the right-wing populist movement started by his father.
Both candidates made their final campaign stops in Brazil's economic powerhouse state of Sao Paulo on Saturday. Lula, who has vowed to defeat the "far right" and fight against "barbarism and corruption," was greeted by an estimated 150,000 supporters at a rally in the country's largest city. Bolsonaro, 45, led a motorcycle parade through the countryside cities of Santa Barbara d Oeste and Americana, emphasizing his hardline security policies and tax cuts.
The senator has vowed to pardon his father Jair Bolsonaro if elected. Recent polls show the two candidates nearly tied, with Lula at 46% and Bolsonaro at 45%.
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