Flavio Bolsonaro beats Lula in the first round and is now the favorite in the October 25 runoff election that will decide Brazil's 40th president . Trump's candidate, son of former president Jair, received 47.14% of the vote, while the incumbent president received 45.03% , leaving a margin of approximately 2.5 million votes between the two.

The other minor candidates, all center-right, excluded from the second round, together received about 12%. Invalid ballots accounted for 2.93% of the vote, while blank ballots accounted for 1.84%. Turnout was 79%, in line with the last elections.

"This vote marks the end of the PT era, Lula's party," said Bolsonaro . "Brazilians have chosen change, and in three weeks, in the runoff, they will say the final word against this corrupt government."

"I thought we'd win in the first round, but we learned a lesson in democracy," Lula said, refusing to give up. "We're committed to the runoff, and we will win. We will convince the Brazilian people," the progressive candidate promised. He then outlined the key points of his campaign for the coming weeks, starting with efforts to attract the votes of those who abstained, a potential electorate of over 33 million people. "I will make an appeal to demonstrate that voting is necessary to define the future of this country. No one more than us can offer a future to Brazilian society," he emphasized. He then returned to criticizing Flávio Bolsonaro, accusing him of having "relations with organized crime militiamen in Rio de Janeiro," as well as being implicated in the Banco Master scandal, which, Lula said, "has led to the greatest corruption and the greatest orgy on the part of the authorities in this country."

The elections were a resounding success for the Bolsonaro family, with four members of the family clan winning the legislative elections: his wife, Michelle, his sons, Carlos and Jair Renan, and his brother, Renato . Michelle Bolsonaro, wife of the former president, secured a Senate seat representing the Federal District of Brasilia with 29% of the vote. Jair's son, Carlos Bolsonaro, was also elected to the Senate, winning 25% of the vote in the state of Santa Catarina, one of Bolsonaro's great bastions. Renato Bolsonaro, the former president's brother, was also elected, securing a seat as a congressman for São Paulo, while Jair Renan, the former president's youngest son and a municipal councilor in Balneário Camboriú since 2024, will represent Santa Catarina, also in the Chamber of Deputies.

Jair Bolsonaro is currently under house arrest, serving a 27-year and 3-month sentence on charges of attempting a coup in 2022. He was granted house arrest for health reasons.

(Unioneonline)

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