Bolsonaro Edges Past Lula As Nail-Biter Election In Brazil Goes To A Run-Off
In a surprise result that defied opinion poll projections showing Lula in the lead, Flavio Bolsonaro scored 47% of the vote to the incumbent's 45%. If Bolsonaro triumphs in the October 25 election, the Latin American powerhouse will join a steady rightward march in the region in recent elections, a trend championed by US President Donald Trump.
The election results included a series of landslide wins for the right in parliament in a massive setback to Lula, who at almost 81 is seeking a fourth term in office to cement his legacy.“I admit I was convinced I would win in the first round. The game is about to start. In extra time, we will win over the Brazilian people,”
the 80-year-old said.“I'm very good at knockout stages.”
The veteran leftist has branded the election a battle between democracy and“barbarism,” warning voters that Brazil's sovereignty was at stake in the face of US pressure.
Flavio Bolsonaro was a little-known senator a few months ago when his father anointed him his political heir, unable to run himself as he serves a 27-year sentence for an attempted coup after losing a 2022 election bid.
However, his father's powerful name won over the country's conservative base and he slid past Lula despite a campaign marked by scandals and mudslinging.
“I am truly happy with the result,” Flavio Bolsonaro said after results came through, hailing the“very real possibility” of a run-off victory.
Voters in the deeply polarised nation were jaded by familiar choices, and few voted with conviction.
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