Jair Bolsonaro or Lula? Brazil's runoff underway amid voter suppression concerns

Brazil Elections 2022: Questions arose over the integrity of the polling amid reports of voter suppression.

Published on: Oct 31, 2022 12:37 AM IST

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Voting in a tense runoff that pits far-right incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro against leftist former leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is underway amid allegations of voter suppression.

Brazil Elections: Voters wait in line to cast a ballot at a polling station. (Bloomberg)

Questions arose over the integrity of the vote amid reports that Brazil's federal highway police was conducting illegal roadblocks of buses carrying voters across the northeast region where Lula's support is strongest.

The PRF officers were potentially seeking to suppress the vote in Lula strongholds, Reuters reported. However, Brazil's election chief dismissed the claims saying that there have been no such cases of policy bus stops preventing voters from voting.

Ahead of the runoff, several polls showed the race between Jair Bolsonaro and Lula tightening while some predicted a win for Lula.

"Our expectation is victory, for the good of Brazil," Jair Bolsonaro said after voting.

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