Suryaa Now International Desk: Surya International Bureau, Brasilia/Sao Paulo: Brazil, the largest democracy in Latin America, is the final stage of the presidential election runoff battle. Surya International Bureau, Brasilia/Sao Paulo: Brazil, the largest democratic country in Latin America, is in the final stage of the presidential election runoff. The incumbent president, leftist stalwart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the Liberal Party candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, are up for grabs. As the polling ended and the counting of votes continued, the difference in votes between the two sides was the lowest, and there was great excitement all over the country.
First round lead and runoff equations: In the first round of polling held in the first week of October, the election went to a runoff as per the rules as no one got a clear fifty percent majority. Although Flavio Bolsonaro showed a slight lead in the first round, Lula made a strong comeback in the final race and gave a tough fight. In Brazil, which has about 160 million registered voters, the votes of abstentions and supporters of other minor parties will determine the final verdict in the election. An election that will affect the future of Latin America: The outcome of this election will have a significant impact on the geopolitics of Latin America as a whole, not just Brazil.
Flavio Bolsonaro campaigned with the pro-policies of US President Donald Trump and an agenda of crime control and tax cuts. On the other hand, Lula gathered people's support with the slogans of protection of democracy, welfare of marginalized groups and environmental protection of Amazon forests. With the chances of a winner emerging by the slimmest of margins, the final results were of keen interest.