Lula and his Workers’ Party have cast this election as a “battle for democracy”, arguing that Jair Bolsonaro’s conviction for coup-plotting was evidence that “Bolsonarismo” constituted a threat to Brazil’s democratic institutions.
During Lula’s latest term in office, relations with Trump have been rocky.
Lula has insisted that Brazil “does not fit into anyone’s backyard”, an apparent reference to what Trump has dubbed the “Donroe Doctrine” – his administration’s national security strategy which asserts that US dominance in the Western hemisphere should not be interfered with.
Bolsonaro, on the other hand, argues that working with Washington to combat powerful criminal gangs – which wield immense power in parts of Brazil – will restore the state’s sovereignty to gang-controlled areas.
He has also been labelling the Workers’ Party as corrupt, reminding voters of the massive financial scandals which plagued the party for years and which have turned many voters against it.
Lula plans to be in São Paulo to watch the results on Sunday evening, while Bolsonaro is set to be in the capital, Brasília – which is also where his father is under house arrest.