Bolsonaro defies polls to enter run-off round against leftist Lula

Amazon forest fires: Bolsonaro accuses NGO's of starting fires

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Jair Bolsonaro received around 43 percent of the vote and trailed Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by just five points after Brazilians went to the polls on Sunday. Lula, who previously served as President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010, fell short of surpassing the threshold needed to prevent a head-to-head contest.

He had been expected to defeat Bolsonaro by a considerable margin after opinion polls gave the left-leaning Partido dos Trabalhadores candidate double-digit leads.

However, the last time a Brazilian general election did not require a second ballot came in 1998 when Lula was emphatically defeated by his predecessor Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

Voters now have four weeks to decide whether Bolsonaro should serve another four years at Alvorada Palace.

Lula was unable to contest the last election against Bolsonaro because he was in prison after being convicted on corruption charges.

JUST IN: ‘According to plan!’ Putin’s grip on northern Donbas at risk as Ukrainian troops advance

His convictions were quashed in 2021 and his political rights were subsequently restored.

According to recent head-to-head polling, Lula is expected to complete a remarkable political comeback and defeat Bolsonaro in the second round.

However, a political scientist at the Insper Business School, Carlos Melo, suggested the race is far from over.

Mr Melo said: “The extreme right is very strong across Brazil.

“Lula’s second-round victory is now less likely.

“Bolsonaro will arrive with a lot of strength for re-election.”

Bolsonaro’s far-right allies also made significant gains in Congress following Sunday’s election, winning 19 out of 27 seats in the Senate.

Both candidates have welcomed the opportunity to face off in a second round.

DON’T MISS: 
Military aircraft catches fire and explodes during landing in Crimea [REPORT]
Refugee, 22, will return to Ukraine after British lover ditched her [REVEAL]
Putin faces mutiny from top commanders over Ukraine war goals [INSIGHT]

Bolsonaro said: “We have a second round ahead where everything becomes the same, the (television advertising) time for each side becomes the same.

“And now we are going to show it better for the Brazilian population, especially the most affected class, the consequence of the ‘stay at home, we’ll see the economy later’ policy.”

Lula added: “It will be important (to have a second round) because we will have the chance to do a face-to-face debate with the current president to know if he will keep on telling lies.”

Source: Read Full Article