Thousands Attend Rallies for Brazils Lula and Bolsonaro on Eve of Election

Brazilian Presidential Candidates Hold Final Campaign Events Ahead of Run-Off Election

Thousands of supporters gathered in Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach on Saturday to hear from presidential candidates Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro. Lula, a 80-year-old left-wing leader seeking a fourth term, addressed the crowd while wearing a red hat and waving a Brazilian flag from a campaign truck. He referenced his opponent’s ties to US President Donald Trump, stating “the people must choose either someone who kisses the national flag or someone who kisses the American flag.”

Bolsonaro, a senator and son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, secured 47 percent of the vote in the first round, narrowly ahead of Lula’s 45 percent. Recent polling shows the two candidates remain relatively even, with Bolsonaro expected to receive 46.3 percent of the vote compared to Lula’s 45 percent.

Bolsonaro’s supporters, including hundreds of motorcyclists wearing Brazil’s yellow national football shirts, gathered in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais on Saturday. One supporter, Ebert Dorigo, argued that a change in direction was needed for the country due to welfare-based policies. “The values we uphold are nation and family,” he said. “Our country is divided today because, due to welfare-based policies, some people … haven’t grasped that improvement and achievement come only through hard work.”

The final debate between the two candidates took place on Friday, with both sides trading accusations over economic difficulties and their respective records. For some voters, the choice has been a difficult one. “If there were any other candidate, that would be a better option,” said Gabriela Ribeiro Viana, an event organiser. “But we’re stuck choosing between the worst, the horrible, and the lesser evil.”

Source: Al Jazeera