'Democracy on the ballot' as Brazil holds divisive vote

'Democracy on the ballot' as Brazil holds divisive vote

"What's at stake is democracy versus fascism," the gravelly voiced 76-year-old Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told a cheering crowd decked out in the red of his Workers' Party (PT) at a rally last month
"What's at stake is democracy versus fascism," the gravelly voiced 76-year-old Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told a cheering crowd decked out in the red of his Workers' Party (PT) at a rally last month. Photo: EVARISTO SA / AFP
Source: AFP

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

After a polarizing campaign, Brazil votes for its next president Sunday in a combative heavyweight bout threatening to test its young democracy: far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro versus leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Lula, the charismatic but tarnished ex-metalworker who led Brazil through an economic boom from 2003 to 2010, leads in the polls, seeking to stage a stunning comeback four years after being jailed on controversial corruption convictions -- since annulled by the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro, the pugnacious ex-army captain whose popularity has suffered from the carnage of Covid-19 and a sputtering economy, is gunning for a come-from-behind win and has strongly hinted he would not accept a loss.

He has repeatedly alleged, without evidence, that Brazil's electronic voting system is plagued by fraud.

Read also

Brazil presidential battle enters home stretch

Lula enters the home stretch leading Bolsonaro 50 percent to 36 percent, according to the latest poll from the Datafolha institute, released Thursday.

The figures, which exclude voters planning to cast blank or spoiled ballots, put Lula on the cusp of winning outright and avoiding a runoff on October 30.

PAY ATTENTION: Never miss breaking news – join Briefly News' Telegram channel!

Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is the charismatic but tarnished ex-metalworker who led Brazil through an economic boom from 2003 to 2010
Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is the charismatic but tarnished ex-metalworker who led Brazil through an economic boom from 2003 to 2010. Photo: MICHAEL DANTAS / AFP/File
Source: AFP

Lula is pulling out all the stops for a first-round victory, crisscrossing the country and summoning the star power and sex appeal of celebrity supporters like pop superstar Anitta and singer-songwriter Caetano Veloso to convince wavering Brazilians to cast a "tactical vote" for him.

"What's at stake is democracy versus fascism," the gravelly voiced 76-year-old told a cheering crowd decked out in the red of his Workers' Party (PT) at a rally last month.

It is a line heard often these days in the sprawling country of 214 million people, deeply divided after four years of Bolsonaro's social media polemics, anti-establishment attacks, disregard for deforestation in the Amazon and no-holds-barred battle on behalf of his "Bible, bullets and beef" coalition -- Evangelical Christians, security hardliners and the powerful agribusiness sector.

Read also

Beer Party founder vies to be Austria's next president

Leading mass marches and motorcycle rallies by supporters draped in the green and yellow of the flag, Bolsonaro has tapped the popularity of his telegenic, devoutly Christian first lady, Michelle, and got a high-voltage endorsement of his own Thursday from football superstar Neymar.

With Bolsonaro, 67, having vowed his re-election bid can only have three outcomes -- "prison, death or victory" -- the election could be turbulent for Latin America's biggest country, which emerged from two decades of military dictatorship in 1985.

"The stakes are huge... Democracy is on the ballot," said political analyst Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue think tank, calling Bolsonaro "the most anti-democratic president" since the military regime.

Some degree of unrest and violence "is probably likely," he told AFP.

'Million-dollar question'

The "million-dollar question" is exactly what shape this unrest would take, said Guilherme Casaroes, a political scientist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

Read also

Indigenous Brazilians hope to turn page on Bolsonaro

Bolsonaro, who is openly nostalgic for the dictatorship, has given the military a big role in his government and enthusiastically courted its support.

But defense experts say an all-out military coup is unlikely.

A Bolsonaro court challenge or bid to delay the runoff election are stronger possibilities, analysts say.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is openly nostalgic for the dictatorship, has given the military a big role in his government and enthusiastically courted its support
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is openly nostalgic for the dictatorship, has given the military a big role in his government and enthusiastically courted its support. Photo: NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP/File
Source: AFP

More troubling is what Casaroes calls the "Capitol riot scenario": a Brazilian version of the turmoil unleashed by supporters of former US president Donald Trump -- Bolsonaro's political role model -- when he refused to accept electoral defeat.

Gun ownership has boomed under Bolsonaro's firearm-friendly policies: since he took office on January 1, 2019, the number of registered gun owners has more than quintupled to 673,000.

That, combined with die-hard support for Bolsonaro among some sectors of the military and police, is making observers nervous in Brazil and beyond.

The White House warned against violence Tuesday, saying the United States will be watching "closely."

Read also

In Brazil election run-up, even samba is political

Brazil's 156 million voters will also be electing the lower house of Congress, one-third of the Senate and governors and state legislators in all 27 states.

Polls open at 8:00 am and close at 5:00 pm (1100-2000 GMT), with results expected some two hours later.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.