Brazilians are voting in a closely contested presidential run-off between right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro and incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, widely known as Lula.
The second round follows the first vote earlier this month, when Bolsonaro finished ahead of Lula but failed to secure the outright majority needed to avoid a run-off. The latest contest will determine who leads South America’s largest country for the next presidential term.
Polling stations are scheduled to close at 17:00 local time, equivalent to 20:00 GMT, with voters deciding between two candidates offering contrasting political directions for Brazil.
Speaking to reporters after arriving at a polling station in Rio de Janeiro early in the day, Bolsonaro said the “time has come for real change”, presenting his candidacy as an opportunity for a shift in the country’s leadership.
Lula, meanwhile, cast his ballot in São Bernardo do Campo and greeted supporters gathered outside the polling station.
The vote has drawn strong public interest, with some voters framing their participation as a defence of democratic values. In central Brasília, one woman told a BBC reporter: “We voted for democracy, for the collective good.”
The election marks a decisive moment for Brazil, as voters weigh the candidates’ competing visions for the country’s future. Attention will turn to the final results once voting ends and ballots are counted.
