with the outcome shaping whether Latin America's largest nation follows a regional rightward shift championed by US President Donald Trump. At 80, Lula is seeking a fourth and final term, warning that Brazil's sovereignty is at risk from US pressure. His rival, 45-year-old Flavio, is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election. Polls suggest neither will clear the 50 percent needed to win outright Sunday, setting up an October 25 runoff.

Lula's strength lies in the poor northeast and among low-income voters, Catholics, and women. Bolsonaro leads in the south, among wealthier voters and evangelicals. Both carry extremely high rejection rates in a bitterly polarized nation where the campaign has been dominated by scandals and insults rather than policy. Lula has called Bolsonaro a "nobody," while Bolsonaro brands Lula "incompetent." Trump has loomed large over the contest, wielding tariffs and sanctions to pressure Brasilia over issues including Jair Bolsonaro's trial, though he has not formally endorsed Flavio. Lula has warned him not to meddle. Lula, celebrated for welfare programs that lifted millions from poverty, made a comeback in 2022 despite a corruption scandal that jailed him for over 18 months—charges later thrown out on procedural grounds. His third term has seen falling inflation and unemployment, though voters remain frustrated by the cost of living and crime. He has sharply curbed Amazon deforestation, but the environment has barely registered as a campaign issue. Flavio has vowed hardline crime policies and fiscal austerity amid rising public debt, though he faces a corruption investigation. Turnout and last-minute voter decisions are expected to prove decisive. (Bssnews)