Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared himself confident of victory on the eve of the country’s presidential runoff, rallying supporters in Rio de Janeiro as he prepared for a closely contested battle against far-right Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.
“I am sure we are going to win the elections. You can write it down: tomorrow I will be elected president of the Republic again,” Lula told journalists before setting off on a march along Rio’s Copacabana beachfront promenade.
The Workers’ Party (PT) leader, aged 80, is seeking a fourth nonconsecutive term in office. The contest with Bolsonaro has been described as the tightest presidential election in Brazil’s recent history, placing the country’s political direction at the centre of an intense final day of campaigning.
Lula began Saturday with a large rally in Rio, where supporters dressed in red and unfurled a giant Brazilian flag. Campaign messages circulated online urged supporters to take to the streets across the country, including in Porto Alegre, where a gathering was scheduled for the afternoon.
“The people want change but a change for the better, forward. The people do not want to go backward,” Lula said, presenting his candidacy as a choice between continued progress and a return to the policies associated with his political opponents.
The president also accused Flávio Bolsonaro of being a “militiaman”, referring to alleged links between the far-right candidate’s relatives and paramilitary groups in Rio de Janeiro. The accusation added to the sharp rhetoric surrounding a contest marked by competing visions for Brazil’s future.
Lula warned that the election carried significant consequences for the country’s democratic institutions and civil liberties.
“It is not possible that we fail to convince Brazilian society of the risk that democracy, freedom and people of good will face in this country,” he said.
He praised his supporters for sustaining the campaign after the first round, highlighting large public gatherings and mobilisation through social media. Lula also pointed to a public WhatsApp channel that has attracted more than 10 million users who describe themselves as “soldiers of democracy” fighting fascism.
“I have an army bigger than the Chinese and the American. It is the army of Lula,” he said, using the comparison to emphasise the scale of the online network supporting his campaign.
The final hours of campaigning were also shaped by efforts to consolidate support in major electoral centres. Lula was scheduled to travel to São Paulo, Brazil’s largest electoral district, on Saturday afternoon to conclude his campaign.
Flávio Bolsonaro, meanwhile, marched through Belo Horizonte before planning to travel to Rio de Janeiro, a city closely associated with the political movement built around his father.
The two candidates’ final appearances underscored the intensity of the contest as Brazil approached polling day. Lula sought to mobilise voters around democracy and the prospect of continued progress, while Bolsonaro continued his campaign across key urban centres.
With the runoff approaching, Lula’s confident prediction offered a forceful closing message to his supporters. The outcome, however, remained to be decided by voters in a contest that could shape Brazil’s political course for years to come.
