Brazilians were voting on Sunday in a highly polarized election that could determine if the country returns a leftist to the helm of the world’s fourth-largest democracy or keeps the far-right incumbent in office for another four years.
The race pits incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro against his political nemesis, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. There are nine other candidates, but their support pales to that for Bolsonaro and da Silva.
Bolsonaro’s administration has been marked by incendiary speech, his testing of democratic institutions, his widely criticized handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the worst deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in 15 years. Gustavo Petro in Colombia, Gabriel Boric in Chile and Pedro Castillo in Peru are among the left-leaning leaders in the region who have recently assumed power.
The two frontrunners have key bases of support: evangelicals and white men for Bolsonaro, and women, minorities and the poor for da Silva. Marialva Santos Pereira, 47, said she would vote for the former president for the first time since 2002. Bolsonaro grew up in a lower-middle-class family before joining the army. He turned to politics after being forced out of the military for openly pushing to raise servicemen’s pay. During his seven terms as a fringe lawmaker in Congress’ lower house, he regularly expressed nostalgia for the country’s two-decade military dictatorship.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sunshine and cooler temperatures Sunday with frost riskSunday in Ottawa will be bright and sunny, but cooler temperatures at night could bring a risk of frost. ottnews
Read more »
Man walks into North York hospital with life-threatening gunshot woundsToronto police said they were called about a shooting near the East Don Parkland Sunday morning.
Read more »
'We are back': Hundreds of Calgarians set to Run for the Cure for breast cancerPeople of all ages will gather Sunday outside Southcentre Mall to run, walk or use a mobility device along the one\u002D or five\u002Dkm route
Read more »
Vancouver Weather: Sunshine for the start of OctoberThe weekend temperatures look toasty, with inland highs of 25 C on Saturday and 27 C on Sunday.
Read more »
129 dead after fans stampede to exit Indonesian soccer matchPanic at an Indonesian soccer match after police fired tear gas to stop brawls left 129 dead, mostly trampled to death, police said Sunday.
Read more »