🇧🇷 Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Brazilians head to polls in high-stakes, polarized election as Lula faces Flavio Bolsonaro
What happened
Brazilians are casting their votes in the first round of a narrowly split election, with Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro polling roughly even. The campaign has been marked by corruption scandals, economic anxiety, and accusations of U.S. meddling. If no candidate wins more than 50% of valid votes, the top two will face off in a runoff on October 25.
Why it matters
The outcome of the election has significant implications for Brazil's government, economy, and relationships with the U.S. A Lula victory could create a headache for Washington, while a Flavio Bolsonaro win could extend a wave of right-wing victories in Latin America.
Key facts
- Lula is seeking a fourth term, Flavio Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, and the U.S. has imposed tariffs on Brazil in response to the Bolsonaro family's lobbying.
- The election is also determining all 513 lower house members and two-thirds of the Senate.
- Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro are each rejected by roughly half of voters, polls show.
Topics
Publisher evidence used
Reporting attributed to nbcnews.com. WorldLeadersNews links readers to the publisher and does not present a headline-only item as a full article analysis.
Related leaders
