Brazil launched its campaign for October's presidential elections on Sunday with President Lula da Silva competing against right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro in a heated contest between two political blocs as apathy grows among numerous voters towards both.
Lula, a former trade union leader who has occupied a prominent place in Brazilian politics for decades, is running for the seventh time in elections scheduled for October, seeking a fourth term against Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022). The former president was arrested on suspicion of attempting a coup to stay in power following his defeat in 2022, according to Agence France-Presse.
The shadow of United States president Donald Trump, an ally of the Bolsonaro family, looms over these elections. Trump has previously supported multiple right-wing candidates who won across Latin America. However, it appears many voters have lost enthusiasm and will not back either side.
"All the candidates are bad. I'm not going to vote for Lula, I'm not going to vote for Bolsonaro. I don't even know what I'll do," said Rosalie Loureiro, 53, a market trader in Rio de Janeiro. Around 12 candidates are competing in these elections, but Lula and Bolsonaro are advancing by a wide margin over the others, according to opinion polls.
A Quaest Institute poll released last Friday showed that the outgoing president would obtain 43 per cent of votes against 40 per cent for Flavio Bolsonaro in a runoff. However, with more than 50 per cent of voters rejecting both candidates, undecided voters will play a decisive role in determining the outcome.
Lula launched his campaign on Sunday at an event in the city of São Bernardo do Campo in the state of São Paulo. It was in this city that Lula, a former metalworker, emerged as a trade union leader and later as a national figure after addressing massive crowds in the nineteen seventies.
This historic left-wing leader returned to power in 2023 after serving a corruption conviction that was later annulled. He has focused his campaign on defending Brazil's "sovereignty" against United States tariffs and pressure exerted by Donald Trump, an ally of the Bolsonaro family.
Lula said on Friday that he wanted to send the following message to Trump: "Do not interfere in Brazil's affairs, especially in the elections. If you do, you will lose." He also committed to making the fight against organised crime a top priority, an issue of major concern to voters.
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, emerged as a presidential candidate after the imprisonment of his father accused of attempting a coup against Lula following his electoral defeat in 2022. He presents himself as a "more moderate version" of his father, known for his combative temperament, while capitalising on his predecessor's popularity.
He asked his supporters to wear shirts with his father's image at an event on Sunday at Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, where the former president used to attract large crowds of supporters. Bolsonaro raises the issues of "fighting crime" and "fiscal reform".
Although unemployment is at historically low levels and inflation is under control, many Brazilians complain that they do not feel an improvement in their purchasing power. Female participation is an influential factor in the elections: women make up 53 per cent of the 158 million registered voters and the majority tends to support Lula, contributing to his victory in 2022.
