Brazil’s right has already changed the balance of power

During a televised debate in São Paulo on October 18, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro claimed that 73 percent of prisoners eligible to vote had supported Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula replied that he wanted 100 percent of the vote, “even your father’s,” referring to Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted of plotting to overturn the 2022 election result and is serving his sentence under house arrest. In the October 4 first round, Flávio received 47.03 percent of valid votes to Lula’s 45.16 percent, and several polls now put the candidates within the margin of error. Flávio has promised to “redemocratise” Brazil and send Lula into retirement.