Voting under way across Brazil in tight presidential run-off between Lula and Bolsonaro

What to know as Brazilians choose between Lula and Bolsonaro in tense presidential runoff

Brazilians began voting in Sunday’s polarizing presidential election between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro.FRANCE 24 Jan Onoszko tells us the latest from Rio de Janeiro ⬇️

Brazil's tense presidential run-off campaign feels like a psychological thriller

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro wrapped up their campaigns on Saturday ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff ​vote, mobilizing supporters and making a final push for undecided voters.

Lula, who is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, kicked off his last day of ⁠campaigning with a march along Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana beach, where thousands of supporters joined the leftist incumbent under a blazing sun. Later, the president led another march in Sao Paulo, passing along Paulista Avenue, a traditional venue for political demonstrations in Brazil's ​largest city.

Bolsonaro, meanwhile, joined a motorcycle caravan in Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, a key battleground state. No ​candidate has won the presidency without carrying Minas Gerais since the country's return to democracy in the 1980s. He later took part in a campaign march in his home state of Rio de Janeiro, which he has represented in the Senate since 2019.

On Friday, Lula and Bolsonaro met ⁠for a final ​debate on TV Globo, the country's main free-to-air television channel, where they sparred over the cost of living and traded personal attacks.Read more below ⬇️

Brazilians are heading to the polls for a presidential runoff that pits leftist incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, a far-right ally of US President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro, the son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro, bested Lula by more than 2. 2 million votes in the first round of the election earlier this month.

More than 33 million of the nearly 160 million registered voters did not turn out. All the polls across Brazil are now open and voting is underway. Results are expected sometime after 5pm local time (9pm GMT).

More than 33 million of the nearly 160 million registered voters did not turn out.

Thousands march against a return to a right-wing Bolsonaro presidency

After a first-round loss, the incumbent becomes the underdogA tense campaign ahead of the run-off marked by name-calling and accusations Meta ordered to prove it gives Lula and Bolsonaro campaigns equal treatmentThousands march against a return to a right-wing Bolsonaro presidency Polls open in Brazil for tight runoff between leftist Lula and Bolsonaro

Veteran pro-union President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led his rival by 15 points in opinion polls just a month before the vote. But after right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro took 47% compared to 45% for the incumbent in the October 4 first round, Lula suddenly found himself the underdog.