Brazil holds pivotal election as Lula seeks fourth term against Bolsonaro's son
Brazilians voted on Sunday in a highly polarised presidential election between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, seeking an unprecedented fourth non-consecutive term, and Flávio Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old senator and son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro. The election is significant for Latin America, where Brazil remains one of the few major nations governed by the left amid a regional wave of right-wing victories.
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Brazil's electorate voted on Sunday in a presidential contest widely seen as critical for Latin America's largest democracy. Lula, who has governed intermittently since 2003, is seeking an unprecedented fourth non-consecutive term against Flávio Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old senator for Rio de Janeiro and son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his failed 2022 re-election bid.
The election carries significance beyond Brazil's borders. Brazil remains one of the few major Latin American nations still governed by the left following a wave of right-wing victories across the region, including the United States' involvement in Venezuela after the capture of Nicolás Maduro. Lula has positioned himself as a regional leader willing to resist Washington's influence and has accused President Donald Trump of attempting to interfere in the race on Bolsonaro's behalf.
Flávio Bolsonaro, echoing his father, has frequently praised Trump and pledged to join the US-led coalition against drug cartels that has carried out deadly strikes across the region. The two candidates traded positions as frontrunner in the final weeks of campaigning, leaving the outcome uncertain as polls closed on Sunday evening.
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