Conservative Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro surged to nearly 47 percent of the vote, forcing a second round against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The numbers are staggering. At press time, officials counted 99.57 percent of the ballots. Bolsonaro leads with 56 million votes. Lula trails with 53.5 million. Neither man hit the 50 percent mark needed to win immediately. The race is now a knockout fight.
The results show a nation deeply divided. Bolsonaro's Liberal Party won key states like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. They also took the southern region. Lula's Workers' Party dominated the north, except for Roraima. That state borders Venezuela and has seen many refugees flee socialism. The map tells a clear story. Rural areas and the south turned conservative. The north leaned left.
Bolsonaro spoke to supporters outside his home in Brasilia. He addressed a small crowd wearing green and yellow jerseys. One woman held the Israeli flag. He told them, "Brazil wants change, that's the reading of what happened today," per Associated Press. He added, "It's the end of the Workers' Party era." His tone was confident. He knows the work is just starting.
Lula admitted the result was unexpected. He thought he could win in the first round. Now he faces a tough battle. "Tomorrow we start a new campaign," Lula said. He believes he has a knack for tight matches. "I am very good in the knockout stage. We will see who has the best plan," he said. Both men have three weeks to win over moderate voters who stayed home.
The stakes go far beyond Brazil. The winner will lead Latin America's biggest economy. They will manage a population of 214 million people. The next term begins on Jan. 5. A win for Bolsonaro could boost U.S. influence in the region. If Lula wins, Brazil will likely stay distant from Washington. They may deepen ties with China instead.
Breitbart reported that the runoff election is set for Oct. 25. The winner gets the most votes. It does not matter if they reach 50 percent. This is a simple majority rule. The court in Brasilia confirmed neither candidate secured a majority. Flávio Bolsonaro, an ally of President Donald Trump, is ready to fight. The son of former President Jair Bolsonaro is not backing down.
Augusto Cury, the self-help author who finished third, has 3.4 million votes. He said he would not endorse either candidate. His voters are now the swing vote. The country waits to see who picks them up. The world watches to see where Brazil turns.
The runoff on Oct. 25 will decide if Brazil turns toward Washington or Beijing.