Brazil Votes in Polarized Lula-Bolsonaro Race

Nearly 159 million Brazilians are voting in a closely contested, deeply polarized presidential election between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, alongside elections for Congress, governors and state legislatures. Lula is campaigning on social programs, public investment and Brazilian sovereignty, while Bolsonaro has promised tougher crime policies, lower state spending and a pardon for his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat. Cost-of-living pressures, public safety, corruption, religion and Brazil’s relationship with the United States have shaped the campaign, with many voters motivated chiefly by opposition to the other camp. Polls point to a likely October 25 runoff, as neither frontrunner is expected to win more than half of valid votes in the first round. The result is being watched internationally for its implications for Brazil’s ties with the United States and China, trade and the regional balance between right- and left-wing movements.