Lula and Bolsonaro Intensify Final Appeals Ahead of Brazil’s Decisive Presidential Runoff

São Paulo witnessed final campaign appeals Saturday, the eve of Brazil’s presidential runoff between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, as tens of thousands of supporters took to the streets aiming to sway remaining undecided voters.

Saturday-released polls indicate a tightly contested race that may hinge on narrow margins.

A Bolsonaro victory would join Brazil with regional allies Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru, all of which have elected allies of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Conversely, an Lula win would maintain a strategic distance between Brazil and Washington.

Lula, 80, who fell short in the first round by over 2.2 million votes to the 45-year-old Bolsonaro, addressed a potentially career-defining rally on São Paulo’s iconic Paulista Avenue.

Bolsonaro addressed supporters in his native Rio de Janeiro and in Belo Horizonte, the Minas Gerais capital that has accurately predicted presidential outcomes for decades.

The Saturday rallies capped a campaign surge that gathered momentum earlier in the month.

Lula addressed a morning rally at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, telling supporters the movement had been driven by the people themselves.

Following the October 4 vote, large-scale leftist demonstrations have erupted across Brazil, reclaiming ground lost to supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro in recent years.

With nearly 160 million eligible voters, over 33 million — roughly 21% of the electorate — abstained in the first round and may face a fine unless justified. Those who missed the initial vote are eligible to participate in the runoff.

Voting occurs via electronic machines, where voters input digit codes for their chosen candidates, with results typically reported within hours of poll closures.

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