Lula and Bolsonaro split support in final Brazil poll

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro closed their campaign with separate rallies on Saturday, gathering large crowds ahead of the Sunday runoff. The two rivals held events in different regions, addressing supporters about the state of the economy and national direction.

Lula, age 80, spoke from a campaign truck at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Wearing a red hat, he waved a Brazilian flag to hundreds of attendees. He contrasted his platform with his opponent’s international ties. “The people must choose either someone who kisses the national flag or someone who kisses the American flag,” Lula said.

Flavio Bolsonaro, a senator and son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, campaigned in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. The rally featured hundreds of motorcyclists wearing yellow national football shirts. Ebert Dorigo, a participant, criticized Lula’s Workers' Party for encouraging reliance on welfare. “The values we uphold are nation and family,” Dorigo told AFP. He argued that hard work, not government aid, drives improvement.

A CNT/MDA poll released Saturday places Bolsonaro at 46.3 percent and Lula at 45 percent. This represents a 1.3 point gap. A week earlier, the same poll showed Bolsonaro at 46.8 percent and Lula at 45.9 percent. The margin of error is 2.2 percentage points. The results suggest the race remains within striking distance.

Bolsonaro won the first round with 47 percent of the vote, narrowly beating Lula’s 45 percent. The incumbent left-wing leader seeks a fourth non-consecutive term. The election outcome will determine if Brazil maintains its current government or joins a regional shift to the right. Bolsonaro has pledged to add hundreds of thousands of prison places and cut government spending. His father serves a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election.

The candidates held a calmer final debate on Friday, though they still exchanged accusations about economic management. Gabriela Ribeiro Viana, an event organizer, expressed frustration with the limited choices. “If there were any other candidate, that would be a better option. But we're stuck choosing between the worst, the horrible, and the lesser evil,” she told AFP. Voting takes place Sunday across Brazil.