Brazil Runoff Campaign Ends With Tight Polls

Flavio Bolsonaro leads President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by 1.3 percentage points in the final poll released before Brazil's presidential runoff. The CNT/MDA survey conducted on Saturday places Bolsonaro at 46.3 percent and Lula at 45 percent. This margin falls within the 2.2 percentage point error range, indicating a statistical tie as voters prepare to cast ballots on Sunday.

The two candidates concluded their campaigns with separate rallies on Saturday. Lula, who is 80 years old, addressed hundreds of supporters at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. He stood on a campaign truck wearing a red hat and waved a Brazilian flag. During his speech, he contrasted his own patriotism with the perceived closeness of his rival to the United States. "The people must choose either someone who kisses the national flag or someone who kisses the American flag," Lula told the crowd.

Flavio Bolsonaro held a gathering in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Supporters included hundreds of motorcyclists wearing yellow national football shirts. Bolsonaro is a senator and the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. In the first round of voting, he received 47 percent of the vote, slightly ahead of Lula's 45 percent. A week before the final survey, the same CNT/MDA poll showed Bolsonaro leading by a wider margin of 46.8 percent to 45.9 percent.

The election represents a choice between continuing the current left-wing administration or shifting further to the right. Lula is seeking a fourth, non-consecutive term as president. His opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro, has pledged to cut government spending and add hundreds of thousands of prison places to address crime. Jair Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election.

The final debate took place on Friday and featured a calmer tone than previous exchanges, though candidates still traded accusations regarding the economy. Ebert Dorigo, a motorcyclist in Bolsonaro's crowd, told AFP that Lula's Workers' Party had encouraged dependence on government welfare. "The values we uphold are nation and family," Dorigo said. He argued that welfare policies have hindered individual achievement.

Gabriela Ribeiro Viana, an event organizer, described the difficulty of the choice facing voters. She told AFP that the options feel limited. "If there were any other candidate, that would be a better option. But we're stuck choosing between the worst, the horrible, and the lesser evil," Viana said.