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Voters in Latin America's economic powerhouse Brazil go to the polls to elect a new president, with former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva facing current government ally Eduardo Bolsonaro in a deeply polarized contest. The race is characterized by personal attacks rather than policy proposals, and if no candidate secures over 50% of the vote, a runoff will be held on October 25 between the top two contenders.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will head to a runoff on Oct. 25 in Latin America's economic powerhouse.
Ten other candidates are expected to garner much smaller numbers of votes on Sunday. Bolsonaro, 45, is the son of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump. Lula, who at 80 is one of the world'sWhere Bolsonaro has leaned into his ideological alliance with Trump, Lula has criticized Washington.in Washington and sanctioned a Supreme Court justice who chaired the investigation that ended up resulting in the sentencing of.
Brazil estimates that its deposits hold up to 21 million tons, second only to China. Bolsonaro also has campaigned on releasing his father from his 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup and bringing him back to politics.
"That narrative won't stick, sorry," he said at a September campaign event. Brazilians will also elect 27 state governors, members of state legislatures, all 513 federal members of the lower house of congress and 54 of the country's 81 senators in Sunday's vote. Thomas Traumann, a political consultant based in Rio de Janeiro, says last-minute mistakes by either candidate or by their allies could make all the difference for undecided voters.. There's no third candidate.
You only have two options, and they fight each other in an atmosphere that becomes worse and worse," Traumann said.
"It is much more a competition of accusations than a competition of proposals. "Four years ago, Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro by 2.1 million votes — a margin of just under 2 percentage points. At the time, Brazilians were upset with the then president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, his repeated threats against democracy, his attacks on the electronic voting system, and the poor shape of the nation's economy as inflation was on the rise.
Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo, says some voters have grown weary of Lula, who is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term as president. He is one of the oldest presidents on the continent, along with Trump and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, both of whom also are 80.
"Many in the Lula campaign were not expecting such a difficult election a few weeks ago, and it is clear to them that the present election is a tough battle and the next ones, without Lula, could be even more so," Melo said. Bolsonaro has seen his political career tainted by several corruption accusations, the latest of them involving a disgraced banker paying him, allegedly to produce a movie on his father's life.
More recently, he has been under fire from Roman Catholics who fear he might make too many concessions to his evangelical base. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, greets supporters during a campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.
- The Associated Press Presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro rides on a man's shoulders during his campaign rally at the site where his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, was injured by a stabbing attack in 2018, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. - The Associated Press A supporter of opposition presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro wears a mask of his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, during a campaign rally a day ahead of the country's general election, in Campo Grande, Rio de Janeiro state, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.
- The Associated Press President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, waves a Brazilian and Sao Paulo state flags during a campaign rally a day ahead of the country's general election in Sao Paulo, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. - The Associated Press
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