Brazilians are voting in Sunday's polarizing presidential runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, a contest that will determine whether the U.S. will significantly expand its growing influence in Latin America. Polls showed the two candidates, who need more than 50% of the vote to become Brazil's next leader in January, in a neck-and-neck race. The election pits the left-of-center veteran politician Lula against Bolsonaro, an ally of President Trump and the son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Flávio Bolsonaro bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of the election earlier this month. However, more than 33 million voters out of nearly 160 million did not turn out. Bolsonaro and Lula have opposing ideological views on issues ranging from U.S.-Brazil relations and climate change to social welfare.
A win for Bolsonaro would signify a pivot to the right by Latin America's most populous country and its largest economy, in a year when Trump allies have scored victories in Chile, Peru and Colombia. A victory for Lula would leave Brazil and Mexico with left-of-center leaders. In many ways, Brazil's runoff vote is another tight rematch between the country's two polarized political forces that trigger passion as much as loathing.
Four years ago, Lula beat Bolsonaro's father by the narrowest margin since the country's return to democracy in 1985. Lula, who first governed Brazil between 2003 and 2010, has faced a tough reelection battle because of concerns about the cost of living and security. Bolsonaro made a tough-on-crime approach the cornerstone of his campaign and pledged to bring down food costs.
Both have been hit by corruption suspicions involving family members and allies, with Bolsonaro implicated in a sprawling scandal rocking Brazil. Lula previously spent more than a year in prison on corruption convictions that were eventually annulled. Bolsonaro's admission that he accepted about $12 million from disgraced former banker Daniel Vorcaro to produce a film on his father's life has cast a shadow over his campaign.
He is under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion in connection with the case. As Bolsonaro voted at a school in Rio de Janeiro, his supporters shouted "Lula, thief, your place is in prison" while Lula's supporters chanted in his support. "The time of real change has arrived," Bolsonaro said.
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