Voting began in Brazil's presidential election on Sunday, with leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva seeking a fourth non-consecutive term and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro seeking to continue the right-wing populist movement started by his father, Jair Bolsonaro.
asserted
Bolsonaro → begin → father
Polls have predicted a tight race between the two leading candidates, with neither likely to win more than 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff that would take place on October 25.
asserted
that → predict → October
Lula and Bolsonaro wrapped up their campaigns on Saturday in Brazil's economic powerhouse state of Sao Paulo.
asserted
Lula → wrap → Paulo
Lula vows to 'defeat the far-right'
asserted
Lula → vow → right
The 80-year-old Lula capped off his campaign with a tour through the city of Sao Paulo, vowing to "defeat the far right," and framing the election as choice between "democracy and sovereignty" and "barbarism and corruption."
asserted
Lula → cap → democracy
Organizers said some 150,000 of Lula's supporters turned up for the rally in Brazil's largest city.
asserted
150,000 → say → city
Lula has campaigned on continuing his left-leaning Workers' Party platform, comprising welfare programs, state-funded development and income redistribution.
asserted
Lula → campaign → programs
Bolsonaro's law and order
Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, has served as the Liberal Party's senator for Rio de Janeiro since 2019.
asserted
Bolsonaro → serve → 2019
On Saturday, he led a motorcycle parade through Sao Paulo's countryside cities of Santa Barbara d'Oeste and Americana.
asserted
he → lead → Barbara
The right-wing Bolsonaro has campaigned on hardline security policies and tax cuts, emphasizing high cost of living under Lula, who he has slammed as "incompetent."
"I am convinced that everything is in place for us to win this election in the first round," the lawmaker said.
asserted
lawmaker → campaign → round
He also held up a portrait of his father, while the crowd shouted "mito" — a Portuguese word for "legend" that Jair Bolsonaro's supporters use to refer to him.
asserted
supporters → hold → him
Brazil's 2022 election rematch
The elder Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence in prison for attempting a coup to overturn his loss to Lula in the 2022 presidential election.
asserted
Bolsonaro → serve → election
Flavio Bolsonaro has vowed to pardon his father if elected.
asserted
Bolsonaro → vow → father
Lula's team has cast the Bolsonaro movement as a threat to Brazil's sovereignty, pointing to Flavio and Jair's ties with US President Donald Trump, who last year slapped a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports in response to Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial, which the US president called a "witch hunt."
asserted
president → cast → which
The younger Bolsonaro has said in interviews he is "more moderate" than his father, who he has nevertheless said will remain "my compass, my point of reference."
asserted
he → say → reference
Policies where both Bolsonaros are similar include relaxed gun control laws and skepticism of human-caused climate change.
asserted
Bolsonaros → include → change
Trump has not endorsed the senator, but has said he is watching the election "very closely."
What happens next?
Brazil finds itself politically divided, and campaigning has been bitter, with online operations from both sides seizing on every gaffe, accusation and rumor, quickly producing slick videos or AI-generated images for social media.
asserted
operations → endorse → media
In September, it was revealed Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption, money laundering and tax evasion tied to the financing of a biopic about his father.
asserted
Bolsonaro → reveal → father
He has denied any misconduct.
asserted
He → deny → misconduct
The latest polling for the first round of voting shows Lula at 46% and Bolsonaro at 45%, according to the Brazilian data intelligence and public opinion research firm Quaest cited by Reuters news agency.
uncertain
polling → show → agency
In the case of a run-off, the Quaest poll shows Lula at 42% and Bolsonaro at 44%.
asserted
poll → show → %
In 2022, Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro by only 1.8 percentage points.
asserted
Lula → beat → points
Along with voting for president, Brazil's 160 million registered voters are also choosing other lawmakers, governors, and some senators.
asserted
voters → vote → lawmakers
If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google, so you'll always see our verified news first.
asserted
you → rely → news
The Aporia
