Brazilian presidency hangs by 1.3 points as final rallies conclude

The presidential race in Brazil has narrowed to a gap of 1.3 percentage points according to the final major poll released before voting begins. The CNT/MDA survey, published on Saturday, places Senator Flavio Bolsonaro at 46.3 percent of the vote and incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at 45 percent. The margin of error for this measurement is 2.2 percentage points, meaning the candidates are statistically tied.

This result continues a trend of tight polling in the runoff. A week earlier, the same polling firm reported Bolsonaro at 46.8 percent and Lula at 45.9 percent. In the first round of the election, Bolsonaro secured 47 percent of the vote against Lula's 45 percent. The upcoming vote will determine if Lula wins a fourth, non-consecutive term or if Brazil continues a regional shift toward the right.

Both candidates held large rallies on Saturday, the final day of official campaigning. Lula, an 80-year-old left-wing leader, addressed hundreds of supporters from a truck at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. Wearing a red hat and waving a national flag, he contrasted his loyalty to Brazil with his rival's ties to the United States. "The people must choose either someone who kisses the national flag or someone who kisses the American flag," Lula said.

Bolsonaro's supporters gathered in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. The event featured hundreds of motorcyclists wearing yellow national football shirts. Ebert Dorigo, one attendee, told the AFP news agency that the Workers' Party had promoted dependence on government welfare. "The values we uphold are nation and family," Dorigo said. He argued that welfare policies have obscured the role of hard work in personal achievement.

The campaign has focused on deep divisions regarding economic policy and crime. Bolsonaro has pledged to add hundreds of thousands of prison places and reduce government spending. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is currently serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup after losing the 2022 election. The two main candidates held a debate on Friday that was calmer than previous exchanges, though they still criticized each other's management of the economy.

Voters expressed uncertainty about the choice. Gabriela Ribeiro Viana, an event organizer, told AFP that the options felt limited. "If there were any other candidate, that would be a better option. But we're stuck choosing between the worst, the horrible, and the lesser evil," she said. The final tally will be known after voting concludes on Sunday.