Brazil heads to presidential runoff as Lula and Bolsonaro face tight race

Brazilians cast ballots Sunday in a presidential election seen as a test of the region's political direction, as several Latin American countries have recently shifted rightward in alignment with the Trump administration. Polls closed at 5 p.m. local time, with vote counts beginning to arrive within the hour.

The contest centered on 80-year-old incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, running in his seventh presidential race, against 45-year-old Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump. The elder Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence over a coup attempt.

Under Brazilian law, if none of the 12 presidential candidates secures more than 50% of the vote, the top two advance to a runoff on October 25. Beyond the presidency, voters among Brazil's nearly 159 million eligible electorate also chose 27 state governors, state legislature members, all 513 lower house congress members, and 54 of 81 Senate seats.

Lula expressed confidence in a first-round win but faces a difficult path due to an affordability crisis and a corruption scandal. His standing has nonetheless been bolstered by his pushback against US pressure, including steep tariffs on Brazilian exports and the revocation of the Brazilian ambassador's visa. Bolsonaro, for his part, highlighted his ties to the White House, pledged to crack down on criminal organizations, and campaigned on returning his father to politics.

Voters expressed divided views, with some citing support for Lula's social welfare programs and others favoring continuity with Bolsonaro family politics. Brazil's electronic voting system, in place since the 1990s, has shown no evidence of significant fraud, and international observers reported the vote proceeded smoothly and securely.