Trump, crime and corruption loom over Brazil’s presidential vote

Brazil will choose its next president in a general election on Sunday, amid corruption scandals, political polarization, and voter fatigue. The two main contenders are President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist, and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup. Both candidates represent starkly different visions for Brazil and Latin America.

Lula, 80, is seeking his fourth and likely final term, having previously served as president from 2003 to 2010. In 2023, Brazil's Supreme Court annulled corruption convictions that had barred him from politics, allowing Lula to run again. Meanwhile, Flávio, who champions the political movement built around his father, is vying to continue that legacy. Four other presidential hopefuls are also in the race but lag significantly behind the two frontrunners.

If no candidate secures more than half of the valid votes on Sunday, the two with the most votes will advance to a runoff on October 25. The election outcome could not only determine Brazil's political direction but also impact its position in the global arena, potentially aligning the region's largest country with a conservative bloc linked to US President Donald Trump or maintaining a multipolar foreign policy under Lula's governance.