Lula or Bolsonaro’s son? Brazil braces for final choice in knife‑edge runoff

Rio de Janeiro, October 20 - The fate of Brazil's largest democracy hangs in the balance as the nation gears up for a nail-biting presidential runoff on Sunday. The race pits incumbent leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pushing 81 years old and seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, against 45-year-old Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of the country's jailed former leader, Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula and his centrist challenger are locked in a tight contest, with polls suggesting a dead heat between the two. The victor of Sunday's vote will determine whether Brazil remains a left-leaning bastion in Latin America or shifts towards a right-wing administration aligned with US President Donald Trump. While Trump has yet to explicitly endorse Flavio Bolsonaro, the White House has exerted a significant influence over the contentious election campaign.

The incumbent's political party has accused US tech giant Meta of "interfering" in the election by allegedly limiting Lula's messaging on WhatsApp and Instagram, though the company maintains it acted in good faith. Amid the high stakes, the campaign has been heavily influenced by social media, typically a playground for the right-wing.

In a surprising turn, Lula, now 80, is appealing to voters directly, and his camp has staged massive rallies. Meanwhile, Flavio Bolsonaro, during a fiery televised debate, vowed to restore "hope and the right to dream," warning that Lula's government is "raising taxes on hardworking people to feed welfare dependency." Despite his father's ongoing corruption investigation, Flavio has vowed to free him if elected.