Polls close in Brazil as Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro remain neck and neck

Voters have finished casting their ballots in Brazil's closely contested presidential election, with incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his challenger, 45-year-old Flávio Bolsonaro, still in a tight race. Lula, 80, warned that the outcome of the vote would determine whether Brazil embraces democracy or succumbs to "barbarism," while Bolsonaro claimed his aim was to "free the Brazilian people."

The race is currently projected to be decided by just two percentage points, and a runoff election will be held on October 25 if no candidate secures over 50% of the vote.

With over 158.7 million eligible voters, including one million living abroad, the election's outcome could have significant implications for Brazil's political landscape. The race features 11 candidates, but the poll aggregator for BBC Brazil indicates that candidates other than Lula and Bolsonaro are expected to garner only around 10% of the vote.

According to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE), the official results are anticipated within hours, thanks to electronic voting and previous election experiences indicating a quick release of results.

A victory for Bolsonaro would mark a series of wins for right-wing candidates aligned with the United States, while Lula's re-election would pose challenges for Washington, which has had disagreements with his government over trade and security. Preliminary vote count data has already been released in several countries, with Lula winning in China (56.63%), South Korea, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia, while Bolsonaro came in second in Japan (71.59%) and Israel (74.40%).