Voting commences in Brazil's 2nd-round presidential runoff election

By Bala Chambers

BUENOS AIRES (AA) - Polls across Brazil opened on Sunday morning amid the presidential runoff between far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

In what some have called the country's most important elections since its return to democracy, around 156 million voters are eligible to cast their ballots for the next president in the country, where voting is compulsory.

More than 697,000 Brazilians living overseas are also eligible to vote, according to the national public news agency, Agency Brasil.

In the first round of the election on Oct. 2, many polls suggested a clear win for Lula, who garnered 48% compared to Bolsonaro's 43%.

This meant both candidates were short of the 50% threshold needed for an all-out victory, automatically mandating the second round of voting.

Lula, a former union leader, ran in the previous 2018 presidential election until a graft and money laundering conviction curtailed his political aspirations. He was sent to prison and Bolsonaro, a former army captain, won the presidency.

In 2019, Lula was released from prison after the ruling against him was overturned by the Supreme Court. This allowed him to run for office again.

Several polls suggest that the race for the presidency remains tight, with Lula just slightly ahead.

Amid Brazil's deep political polarization, both presidential candidates finished campaigning on Saturday.

Bolsonaro took part in a motorbike rally in the powerful state of Minas Gerais alongside Governor Romeu Zemaand and his supporters, pledging to increase the minimum wage next year to 1,400 Brazilian reals ($264.52).

Lula finished campaigning in Brazil's financial capital Sao Paulo alongside thousands of his supporters and several close allies, including Fernando Haddad, a candidate for the state government of Sao Paulo, and Geraldo Alckmin his vice-presidential running mate. The former president of neighboring Uruguay, Jose "Pepe" Mujica, also attended.

In a bid to appeal to undecided voters, Lula released a 30-second video on Saturday, maintaining that Brazilian families' lives had improved during his time in office from 2003-2010. He went on to pledge more job generation, a higher minimum wage, renegotiation of family debt, support for entrepreneurs, and drive business.

"Brazil needs a government that takes care of our people again, especially those who need it most. It needs peace, democracy, and dialogue. With credibility, predictability, and stability in the economy. Let's rebuild Brazil together," Lula said on Twitter.

For his part, Bolsonaro released 22 pledges on Saturday with a strong focus on law and order alongside several economic promises, including assistance for low-income families, according to Brazilian news outlet Poder360.

Bolsonaro urged undecided Brazilians to vote for him, tweeting that he offered "security so that they can make the best choice for the future of our nation."

"More than empty and abstract promises, Brazil needs a solid path, based on concrete actions and, above all, on principles," he said.

Some governorships are also in contention in the second-round runoff.

The polls, which opened at 8 a.m. Brasilia time (1100GMT), are scheduled to close at 5 p.m.