Brazil election heads to runoff between Lula, Flávio Bolsonaro as Trump looms
Brazil’s presidential election, which has drawn President Donald Trump’s attention, will head to a runoff after neither candidate secured enough votes on Sunday.
The right-wing candidate, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, held a narrow lead over leftist incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the first round of voting. The New York Times reports Flávio received 47.3% of the vote, while Lula received 44.8%.
Now, the two will face off in a runoff election on Oct. 25 that could also shape Brazil’s relationship with the U.S.
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What the election means for the US
The election could have implications for the U.S., depending on who wins. A Bolsonaro victory would extend a string of wins across Latin America for right-wing candidates aligned with Trump.
Bolsonaro previously said he would help Washington on priorities in Latin America, including fighting drug gangs and what he calls “woke ideology.”
If Lula is re-elected, tensions with Washington could continue. His administration has clashed with the U.S. over trade and security, and Lula has warned Trump against meddling in Brazil’s affairs.
Trump has not formally endorsed either candidate, but he hosted Bolsonaro at the White House and praised him publicly.
US influence?
Brazil’s election has drawn significant attention in the U.S., with Lula and other Brazilian officials accusing Washington of trying to influence the election through tariffs on Brazilian goods.
The U.S. says the tariffs were driven by its economic and policy interests.
The U.S. also planned to send two State Department officials to Brazil to meet with officials, religious leaders and civil society groups about electoral integrity, religious freedom and freedom of expression.
Ahead of the visit, however, Brazil denied the officials visas and characterized the trip as an effort to undermine the election. The State Department rejected the accusation.
What are the candidates running on?
The two are running starkly different campaigns. Lula, who is running for a fourth nonconsecutive term, argues his government has put Brazil on a better economic and social path.
He’s running on reducing inequality, strengthening environmental protections and increasing investment in social programs.
Bolsonaro has positioned himself as the candidate for change, with a platform closely tied to his father Jair Bolsonaro’s political movement.
He wants harsher penalties for crime, expanded prisons, greater surveillance and stronger police powers. He has proposed designating major criminal organizations as terrorist organizations and calls for cutting government spending.
Bolsonaro also says if he wins, he will seek amnesty for his father and others convicted over the January 2023 attack on Brazil’s government institutions, which has been compared to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.