Brazil’s Bolsonaro and Lula to Face off Again in Runoff Vote

Brazil’s Bolsonaro and Lula to Face off Again in Runoff Vote

Brazil's two top presidential candidates will face each other in a runoff vote after neither won a majority in Sunday's election.

With nearly all votes counted, results showed former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva receiving 48.4 percent support, compared to 43.2 percent for President Jair Bolsonaro.

Since neither candidate received a majority of support, a second runoff vote will be held on October 30. Nine other candidates from a group of smaller parties also ran in the election.

Several public opinion studies had shown the leftist da Silva leading the far-right Bolsonaro by 10 to 15 percentage points ahead of Sunday's election.

The 76-year-old da Silva, also known as Lula, served as president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010. Bolsonaro, who is 67, took office in 2019 after winning 55 percent of the vote.

"This tight difference between Lula and Bolsonaro wasn't predicted," said Nara Pavão, a political science professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco.

Speaking to reporters, da Silva compared the planned runoff vote against Bolsonaro to "extra time" in a soccer game. "I want to win every election in the first round. But it isn't always possible," he said.

Bolsonaro told reporters in the capital Brasilia that he understood there was "a desire for change" among the population. The country has been experiencing an economic crisis and high inflation. But he said making particular changes in the current environment "can be for the worse."

Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly questioned the dependability of the country's electronic voting machines, did not challenge Sunday night's results. He noted¹ that his Liberal Party's good showing in Congress could add to his support going into the October 30 runoff.

Bolsonaro's right-wing allies won 19 of the 27 seats up for election in the Senate. Early results also suggested a strong showing for his supporters in the lower house. "I plan to make the right political alliances to win this election," he told reporters.

"The extreme right is very strong across Brazil," said Carlos Melo, a political scientist at the Insper business school. Melo told Reuters news agency, "Lula's second-round victory is now less likely. Bolsonaro will arrive with a lot of strength for re-election."

Da Silva left the presidency² 12 years ago with a record popularity rating. But he is now disliked by many Brazilians after he was found guilty of accepting bribes⁴ and jailed during the last election. His guilty verdict was later overturned by the Supreme⁵ Court, permitting him to run again this year.

Bolsonaro was a career lawmaker who rode a wave of opposition⁶ against Lula's Workers Party to win the presidency in 2018. He united different branches of Brazil's right, including Christian⁷ groups, farming interests and pro-gun supporters.

Bolsonaro's administration has been marked by divisive speech and critics have questioned his commitment to democratic values. He has also been widely criticized for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and has served during the worst deforestation in the Amazon rainforest in 15 years.

Words in This Story

tight – adj. close

round – n. a group of events that is part of a series

challenge – v. to express disagreement with ideas, rules, or the authority of something

bribe³ – n. money or gifts given to someone in exchange for favored treatment

divisive – adj. causing disagreements between people

commitment – n. a promise or firm decision to do something

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 bribe   

n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通

参考例句：

• He tried to bribe the policeman not to arrest him.他企图贿赂警察不逮捕他。
• He resolutely refused their bribe.他坚决不接受他们的贿赂。

4 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。