Bolsonaro rides right-wing surge into Brazil’s election runoff

Flavio Bolsonaro, a right-wing Brazilian senator, advances to an Oct 25 runoff election, bolstered by a surge of conservative support. He secured 56 million votes, narrowly defeating incumbent leftist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by two percentage points. The 45-year-old Bolsonaro positioned himself as a moderate compared to his controversial father, Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently incarcerated for attempting a 2023 coup against Lula.

Despite legal troubles and a corruption probe, Bolsonaro's campaign focused on fiscal responsibility, reduced government, tax cuts, and stricter crime measures. The outcome aligns with recent right-wing victories in neighboring countries like Argentina, Ecuador, and Colombia. Lula still has a chance, but he must rally supporters who cast blank ballots and the 33 million who did not vote.

The Liberal Party, under Bolsonaro's leadership, gained double the Senate seats in this conservative wave. Flavio Bolsonaro declared the end of the Lula Workers Party era, emphasizing his belief in democracy over far-right rule.