Brazil

Brazilians vote today, with Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro nearly even.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, wants a fourth term. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, wants his father’s movement back. A runoff on Oct. 25 is likely.

The Rocket News · Foreign Desk · BrasíliaOctober 4, 2026 · 4 min read

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, seeking a fourth term, as Brazilians vote in the first round.

BRASÍLIA — Brazilians voted Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that polls show is nearly even. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, is seeking a fourth term. Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, is trying to return his father’s movement to power. If no one has more than half the valid votes, the top two meet on Oct. 25.

Reuters reported that surveys put Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro roughly even in a likely runoff, and that other candidates, including Ronaldo Caiado and Romeu Zema, have not broken through. The campaign has turned on corruption, the economy, crime, and accusations of American meddling. Both leading candidates skipped the major television debates. Voters are also choosing the full lower house and two-thirds of the Senate.

Jair Bolsonaro, 71, is in prison, serving 27 years for trying to overturn his 2022 loss to Lula. A win for his son would extend a run of right-wing victories in Latin America among candidates aligned with President Trump. Lula’s re-election would leave Washington dealing with a government it has already fought on trade and security. The World desk files the vote. The bridge in Kyiv is on the war page.

Wire and further reading: reuters.com

Filed under World

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