Brazil will hold the first round of its presidential election on October 4. The main rivals are incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former head of state Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
According to the latest polls, Lula's lead is shrinking, and a second round may be needed to determine the winner, Al Jazeera reports.
Polling stations will open at 08:00 Brasilia time (16:00 Astana time). In addition to the president, Brazilians are electing governors, senators and deputies.
The 80-year-old Lula finished his campaign on October 3 with a march in Sao Paulo. He is running for a fourth presidential term.
"Tomorrow we will win the election in the first round," Lula told supporters at the final rally.
The 45-year-old Flavio Bolsonaro led a column of motorcyclists in Sao Paulo state on the last day of the campaign, and then spoke at a rally in Rio de Janeiro. He also expressed confidence in winning in the first round.
However, polls published on the eve show that neither candidate may cross the 50% threshold needed to win. In that case, the two leaders of the race will meet in a second round on October 25.
According to AFP, Lula is more actively supported in the country's poor northeast, among low-income voters and women. Bolsonaro enjoys greater support in the south, among wealthy Brazilians and evangelical Christians.
US President Donald Trump said he is following the election "very closely," although he has not officially endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro. Earlier, Washington used tariffs and sanctions to pressure Brazil, including over the prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro.
Lula has repeatedly called on Trump not to interfere in the election. American flags and images of the US president appeared at his rival's rallies.
Flavio Bolsonaro promises to toughen the fight against crime and cut government spending amid growing debt. During Lula's current term, inflation and unemployment have fallen, but voters continue to complain about the high cost of living and crime.
In the 2022 election, Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro by just 1.8 percentage points. The former president is now serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his defeat in that election.
Flavio Bolsonaro promises to seek his father's release if he becomes president. At the same time, the senator himself is under investigation over the financing of the film "Dark Horse," dedicated to Jair Bolsonaro.
Earlier, "Kursiv" wrote that the prison term of Brazil's ex-president could be reduced from 27 to two years. Lawyers plan to seek to have him serve his sentence under house arrest. The former president has serious medical indications: he survived an assassination attempt in 2018 and has since undergone treatment and operations several times. Earlier, ex-President Bolsonaro was ordered to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.