In a presidential election characterised by an unprecedented level of tension and violence, Brazil's polls opened on Sunday. Although there are over a dozen contenders on the ballot, the leftist former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the right-wing incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro have emerged as the frontrunners and political rivals. Both have frequently been spotted on the campaign route backed by police and security, sometimes even donning protective vests. In Juiz de Fora, where he was stabbed in the stomach during his 2018 presidential campaign, Bolsonaro donned one to launch his reelection campaign last month. Da Silva, widely known as Lula, was observed donning a vest throughout
For the 26 states in the nation as well as the federal district, voters are also choosing new state governors, senators, and federal and state deputies.
The 67-year-old Bolsonaro is seeking reelection on the platform of the libertarian Liberal Party. To lower energy prices, he has advocated for expanding mining, privatising public corporations, and producing more renewable energy. He has promised to continue providing the Auxilio Brasil benefit, which now costs R$ 600 (about US$110) each month. Bolsonaro, who is backed by significant evangelical leaders and is frequently referred to as the "Trump of the Tropics," is a very divisive figure. His regime is well renowned for encouraging the merciless exploitation of Amazonian territory, which has resulted in staggering deforestation rates. Environmentalists are expressing concern that this election may have an impact on the future of the rainforest. In addition, Bolsonaro has received harsh criticism for how he handled the Covid-19 pandemic. More than 686,000 Brazilians have
Official announcement of the first round's final results is anticipated for Sunday evening, according to electoral authorities. Two to three hours after the polls closed in the most recent elections, the results were officially announced. The acceptance of the outcome by all candidates in public will be widely watched by observers. Bolsonaro, who has been accused of inciting his fans with violent speech, has attempted to cast doubt on the outcome and stated that if he doesn't win by "at least 60%," the results should be seen suspiciously. Despite trailing by 14 points in the most recent poll that day, he continued to assert on Saturday that he will easily win the first round of the presidential election. "The outcome of the elections is all we can see,"
Police reported two fatal events over the past weekend in states at each end of the country. A man who identified himself as a follower of Lula was fatally stabbed in a bar in the northeastern state of Ceara, according to authorities. A man wearing a Bolsonaro T-shirt was also fatally stabbed, according to officials in southern Santa Catarina state, during a heated argument with a man who witnesses described as a member of the Workers' Party. Police said they are looking into both instances and that people have been taken into custody. And in July, a member of Lula's Worker's Party was fatally shot while hosting a party to celebrate his 50th birthday with a political theme.
Two explosives were hurled into the crowd at a Lula rally just the day before. More than 67% of Brazilian voters, according to a Datafolha poll taken in August, fear being "physically attacked" because of their political beliefs. Additionally, on election day, firearms are prohibited within 100 metres (330 feet) of any polling place, according to the country's Supreme Electoral Tribunal. The fear factor among voters may cause some people to abstain on Sunday, but recent polling indicates that there are fewer Brazilians who are still unsure this year than in prior elections.
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