South Americaupdated 1h ago3 min read
Brazilians Vote In Lula Vs Flávio Bolsonaro Runoff After Supreme Court Extends Voting
“determine whether the U.S. will significantly expand its growing influence in Latin America.”
“could determine whether the region’s largest country becomes an ally of the US administration”
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Lula da Silva faces Flávio Bolsonaro in a tight runoff after Bolsonaro led first round. Supreme Court extended voting by two hours citing transportation issues.
Runoff in Brazil
Brazilians voted Sunday in a presidential runoff that pits leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, a far-right ally of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro, bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round earlier this month, and more than 33 million of the nearly 160 million registered voters did not turn out.
Brazilian Supreme Court Cristiano Zanin ruled shortly after polls were closed that voters nationwide would have another two hours to cast their ballots, and the voting extension was tied to incidents affecting voter transportation in several states.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, a 42-year-old former lawmaker, spoke to supporters at a polling station in Miami, Florida, saying, "What we really need is freedom," as he called for judicial reform.
Donald Trump declined to endorse either candidate while leaving the White House, telling reporters, "I don’t want to get into that," but adding, "We are watching."
Voting hours extended
The Brazilian Supreme Court extended voting by two hours on Sunday after both candidates made last-minute pleas, and the polls would now close at 7 p.m. Brasilia time (6 p.m. ET) according to the Brazilian Supreme Court.
Lula’s campaign asked for the extension citing "incidents" affecting voter transportation in several states, and Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign requested an extension in some areas citing difficulties voters faced reaching polling stations because of heavy rain.
France 24 said the Supreme Court extended the voting hours until 7 p.m. Brasilia time after both candidates asked the Superior Electoral Court to extend voting by two hours.
France 24 also said the decision subsequently paused the counting of votes, while the TSE had not yet issued a statement.
DW reported that in the October 4 first round, Flavio Bolsonaro took 47% compared to 45% for the incumbent, and it described the runoff as expected to be neck-and-neck with recent polls showing Lula closing the gap.
U.S. influence and stakes
NBC News framed the runoff as a vote that could shift Latin America’s largest nation sharply rightward, bringing it closer to the United States as part of a broader conservative shift across the region.
NBC News said Bolsonaro, 45, would extend a wave of right-wing victories for Latin American candidates friendly to U.S. President Donald Trump, while a fourth mandate for Lula would be a disappointment in Washington.
PBS said the contest would determine whether the U.S. will significantly expand its growing influence in Latin America, and it said polls showed the two candidates were neck-and-neck while both needed more than 50% of the vote.
PBS reported that polls closed in the tight race Sunday evening even though both presidential candidates were asking Brazil’s electoral court to extend voting hours in some cities, with Lula’s request coming after issues in nine states with buses that provide transportation to polls.
PBS also quoted Eduardo Bolsonaro calling for judicial reform, saying, "Most of the people here are coming to vote to free Jair Bolsonaro... we need to reform the judiciary, we need to free the political prisoners."