Flavio Bolsonaro Leads by 1.3 Points in Final Brazil Poll

Flavio Bolsonaro holds a slight lead over Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the final days of Brazil's presidential campaign. A CNT/MDA poll released on Saturday placed the senator at 46.3 percent and the incumbent president at 45 percent. The margin of error for the survey is 2.2 percentage points.

The results follow a previous survey from the same organization conducted one week earlier. That earlier poll showed Bolsonaro at 46.8 percent and Lula at 45.9 percent. The data suggests the race remains tight as the country prepares for the runoff vote on Sunday.

Both candidates held their final rallies on Saturday. Lula, 80, addressed a crowd at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro. He wore a red hat and waved a Brazilian flag from a campaign truck. Speaking to the assembled supporters, he said, "The people must choose either someone who kisses the national flag or someone who kisses the American flag."

Lula is seeking a fourth, non-consecutive term as president. His rival, Flavio Bolsonaro, is a senator and the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. In the first round of voting, Bolsonaro received 47 percent of the vote compared to Lula's 45 percent.

Flavio Bolsonaro's supporters gathered in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Hundreds of motorcyclists wearing yellow national football shirts attended the event. Ebert Dorigo, one of the attendees, told AFP that Lula's Workers' Party had encouraged dependence on government welfare. Dorigo stated, "The values we uphold are nation and family," adding that Brazil needs a change of direction.

The campaign has focused on economic policy, crime, and the role of government spending. Bolsonaro has pledged to add hundreds of thousands of prison places and cut government spending. His father, who served as president from 2019 to 2022, is currently serving a 27-year sentence for attempting a coup. The two candidates held a final debate on Friday, where they traded accusations over the country's economic difficulties.

Voters expressed mixed feelings about the choice. Gabriela Ribeiro Viana, an event organizer, told AFP that the decision is difficult. She said, "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."