With 61.1% of voting machines counted, Mr. Bolsonaro had 50.1% of valid votes, compared with 49.9% for Mr. Lula
With 61.1% of voting machines counted, Mr. Bolsonaro had 50.1% of valid votes, compared with 49.9% for Mr. Lula
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took an early lead in the initial vote tally of Sunday’s presidential election, ahead of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, whose Workers Party usually gets stronger support in regions that are slower to report results.
With 61.1% of voting machines counted, Mr. Bolsonaro had 50.1% of valid votes, compared with 49.9% for Mr. Lula, the Superior Electoral Court reported on its website.
Brazilian voters went to the polls on Sunday in a tense election to choose between re-electing far-right President Jair Bolsonaro or returning leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to office.
The tight race offers a second chance for both candidates.
Mr. Bolsonaro has vowed to consolidate a sharp conservative turn in Brazilian politics after a presidency marred by the pandemic. Mr Lula promises more social and environmental responsibility, recalling the rising prosperity of his 2003-2010 presidency, before corruption scandals tarred his Workers Party.
