Lula and Bolsonaro make final push for votes ahead of Brazil's knife-edge election

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his rival Flavio Bolsonaro wrapped up their campaigns Saturday ahead of a knife-edge election that has been marred by scandals and mudslinging.

Lula, 80, toured Brazil's economic powerhouse Sao Paulo on the back of a campaign truck, cheered on by a sea of red and vowing to "defeat the far right."

The veteran leftist is seeking a fourth and final term in office, warning voters that Brazil's sovereignty is at stake in the face of pressure from US President Donald Trump.

Lula is locked in a tight battle against right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, a close ally of Trump who is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after his failed 2022 re-election bid.

Opinion polls show neither candidate is likely to win the first-round election Sunday, and the two are in a statistical tie for an October 25 runoff.

Flavio Bolsonaro led a parade of hundreds of motorcycles in the interior of the state of Sao Paulo, in the style of his father. Unlike Jair Bolsonaro, he rode on the back of a campaign truck, and did not get on a bike himself. Flavio Bolsonaro waves to supporters as he leads a motorcade in Rio de Janeiro on October 3, 2026.

"Let's go, Brazil wants change," he said in a video published before the rally.

The Trump factor

If Flavio Bolsonaro wins the election, Brazil will join a growing number of Latin American nations that have swung to the right in recent months.

Trump has not endorsed the senator, but has said he is "very closely" watching the election.

Lula has warned Trump against "meddling" in Brazil's election.

His supporters wore caps and T-shirts declaring: "Make Lula President Again" or "Brazil belongs to Brazilians."

Adriana Lima, 44, an early childhood educator clad all in red, told AFP that Lula was "the only president who cared about the people."

"We also have an issue with Trump wanting to treat Brazil like their backyard, so we absolutely cannot let that happen. It's a very important election."

Another Lula supporter, accountant Tiago Lorureto, 35, said the election was "a choice between democracy and barbarism."

'Never any money'

The younger Bolsonaro has run on a platform of hardline security policies and fiscal austerity, slamming Lula as "incompetent" and highlighting the high cost of living.

Marcelo Peressim, 50, who owns a packaging company, came out to Flavio Bolsonaro's rally with a portrait of the candidate's father.

"We work almost 24 hours a day to have a good life and provide a good life for our families... yet there's never any money left over for us to do anything," he said.

Homemaker Eliane Boscolo, 47, said Trump would not need to take an interest in Brazil's elections "if the country were doing well."

"We need things to improve here. If his intervention is necessary, I'm all for it," she added.

Scandals and insults

It has been a bitter campaign in the deeply divided nation. Policies and promises have been overshadowed by a barrage of scandals and personal attacks as candidates jockey for every undecided voter.

It emerged during the campaign that Flavio Bolsonaro was under investigation for corruption over the financing of the biopic "Dark Horse" about his father.

The project was bankrolled by jailed banker Daniel Vorcaro, who is under investigation in one of the country's biggest financial scandals that has ensnared many in power.

Massive online operations by both sides saw the rivals seize on every gaffe, accusation and rumor, quickly producing slick videos or AI-generated images for social media.

The stakes are high: In 2022, Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro by only 1.8 percentage points.

While the presidential election is in the spotlight, Brazil's nearly 160 million registered voters are also picking lawmakers, governors and some senators.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)