Thousands protest Flavio Bolsonaro in Rio as Brazil heads to runoff

Thousands of people marched in downtown Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday to protest against Senator Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil's October 25 presidential runoff. The demonstration was led by students and drew supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who are trying to stop what they see as a possible return of the far right to power. The rally took place as the campaign for the second round gathered pace after Bolsonaro finished first in the opening vote.

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The supplied material says Bolsonaro won about 47% of valid votes in the first round, compared with Lula's 45%, after nearly 99% of ballots were counted. That result was stronger than many polls had suggested and has intensified the contest before the runoff. Bolsonaro is 45 and the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who governed from 2019 to 2022.

Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term after nearly five decades in public life. At the Rio march, protesters used drums, fireworks and chants, including the slogan "Never Again Bolsonaro." One demonstrator, Alice Carneiro, said she was there because she believed in democracy and feared a backlash against her transgender wife. The rows also say many protesters recalled Jair Bolsonaro's handling of the Covid pandemic, which he dismissed as a "little flu" and during which more than 700,000 people died in Brazil.

The march was described as more crowded and animated than a Lula rally held at the same location days earlier. The protest matters because Brazil is Latin America's largest economy and one of the region's most influential political actors. The runoff is being watched closely by investors and regional governments because the result could shape economic policy, public spending and Brazil's wider political direction.

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Bolsonaro has promised sweeping budget cuts and has used a pair of scissors in campaign imagery to echo the style of Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei, whose reforms he has praised. The first-round result also pushed the Sao Paulo stock exchange to record highs, underlining how closely markets are following the race. The rows indicate that the campaign has become a contest not only over personalities but also over Brazil's recent political memory.

Jair Bolsonaro remains a polarising figure, and the protest in Rio reflected concern among left-leaning voters about the return of his movement. The material also notes that the first round exposed a fragmented electorate, with several other candidates together winning millions of votes and not yet backing either side. That leaves both campaigns competing for support from voters who have not committed to the runoff.

What remains unclear is whether the anti-Bolsonaro mobilisation seen in Rio will translate into enough votes for Lula before October 25. It is also not yet clear how much Bolsonaro's economic message will resonate with undecided voters or whether concerns about democracy and social rights will dominate the final stretch. The key issue to watch is whether the runoff campaign produces a further shift in support or whether the first-round balance holds.

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