Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly won the first round of the Brazilian presidential election. The left-wing ex-head of state came in at 47.97 percent, the electoral office announced on Sunday. Right-wing incumbent Jair Bolsonaro received 43.60 percent. This was a lot closer than expected as Lula was clearly ahead in the polls.
According to experts, many respondents did not identify their real favorites or did not decide until Election Day.
It would be Lula’s third term
Since neither candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, Lula and Bolsonaro will face it in a runoff on October 30. Should ex-president Lula (2003-2010) also win in the second round, he would be the first democratic president of Brazil to serve a third term. In addition to the future president, MPs, senators and governors were also elected on Sunday.
The economy once prospered under Lula
Many supporters of the 76-year-old associate Lula with Brazil’s golden age, when the economy boomed due to high commodity prices and the government lifted millions out of abject poverty through social programs. For his opponents, however, Lula is responsible for corruption and favoritism.
divided population
The elections have extremely divided Latin America’s largest economy. Lula called Bolsonaro a genocide for his hesitant corona policy, and Bolsonaro called his opponent a thief after his conviction for corruption.
“The majority of society does not want confrontation, but peace,” Lula said after the vote on Sunday. “I think it will be easy for us to restore democracy and peace in this country.”
Bolsonaro: “May the best win”
Bolsonaro’s supporters, on the other hand, see their head of state as a defender of traditional family values and economic freedom. During demonstrations, radical supporters of the reserve captain blatantly called for a military coup. The right-wing president had repeatedly expressed doubts about the electoral system and indicated that he might not recognize the result. “What matters is clean elections without problems,” he said on Sunday. “May the better ones win.”
The presidential elections in Brazil are also of great importance for the rest of the world. As a huge carbon reservoir, the Amazon plays an important role in the fight against global climate change. Given the tense situation in the energy and food markets as a result of the war in Ukraine, the country with its enormous natural resources and large agricultural economy is also an interesting trading partner.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
