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Brazilians voted on Sunday in a tight runoff vote that could shift Latin America’s largest nation sharply rightward, bringing it closer to the United States as part of a broader conservative shift across the region.
The runoff pits leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro. Flavio scored a major upset at the start of the month by defying pollsters to lead voting in the first round.
Flavio Bolsonaro and incumbent President Luiz Igacio Lula da Silva (right) are neck and neck in the polls heading into the final round of voting. AP Photo/Andre Penner
A victory for Bolsonaro, 45, would extend a wave of right-wing victories for Latin American candidates friendly to US President Donald Trump while a fourth mandate for Lula would be a disappointment in Washington, which has clashed with his government over trade and security.
Brazil’s election race has been dominated by corruption scandals, economic anxiety and accusations of US meddling, which Washington denies. It has also been coloured by fallout from Jair Bolsonaro’s 2025 conviction for plotting a 2022 coup, with Flavio pledging to free his father if elected.
