Brazil chooses between Lula and Bolsonaro in its tightest runoff in recent history

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his right-wing opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, have concluded their presidential campaign with large rallies and fiery messages ahead of the runoff. Lula, speaking to thousands of supporters on Avenida Paulista in São Paulo, expressed his conviction that the Brazilian society desires a structural change that would steer the country in the right direction, avoiding regression.

Earlier, the 80-year-old campaigned along the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro under a clear sky. Meanwhile, Flávio Bolsonaro rallied his supporters in Belo Horizonte, marching through the city with a convoy of motorcycles and a truck, later appearing in Rio de Janeiro's Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. The senator confidently stated before his thousands of jubilant supporters that Brazil would already have a new president around that time on Sunday.

Lula, representing the left-wing Workers' Party PT, advocates for social programs and state investments. In contrast, Flávio Bolsonaro, from the right-wing Liberal Party PL, promises a conservative turn and a tougher stance against crime, including seeking an amnesty for his father. Former President Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to over 27 years in prison for an attempted coup and is currently under house arrest.

Nearly 159 million eligible voters were called to decide Brazil's political future in the first round of voting, where Flávio Bolsonaro secured about 47% of the valid votes, while Lula received 45%. Several political observers predict a tight race leading up to the runoff.