The presidential elections will take place in Brazil on Sunday. Incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro threatened in advance not to accept defeat. Lula narrowly won the first round.
Brazilians wait in Rio de Janeiro for the results of the election to be announced.
Reuters / (dpa) Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has taken the lead in counting the votes for the presidential election, now ahead of incumbent Jair Bolsonaro. After counting a good 90 percent of the polling stations, Lula received 50.5 percent of the votes, while Bolsonaro received 49.5 percent.
Lula had won the first round on October 2 – albeit much narrower than expected after the polls. After that, the race was considered completely open again. Brazilian polling firm Datafolha predicted on Sunday that Lula will win against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro based on the ongoing count of the runoff.
For months, the election campaign was marked by serious mutual accusations and false information spread on the Internet. Both candidates fought for every vote until the end. President Bolsonaro repeatedly cast doubt on the electoral system and indicated that he might not recognize the result. Some of his supporters were blatantly calling for a military coup.
The election has significant implications beyond Brazil’s borders. As a huge carbon reservoir, the Amazon region plays an important role in the fight against global climate change. Given the tense situation on the energy and food markets due to the Ukraine war, Brazil with its enormous natural resources is also an important trading partner.