Buenos Aires, October 4, 2026. For the Argentine press, the Brazilian election far exceeds Brazil's borders. Perfil writes that what is at stake is "the geopolitical balance of Latin America and its strategic relationship with Washington", and speaks of a "globally impactful" vote. More than 158 million Brazilians are called to the polls, including 34 million in the state of São Paulo, according to Infobae.

Polls dominate the narrative. Datafolha, cited by Ámbito and Perfil, gives Lula 42% against 38% for Flávio Bolsonaro in the overall vote, and 45% against 40% in valid votes. Quaest credits Lula with 39% against 34%. In the second round, scheduled for October 25, the gap narrows to 48% against 45%, within the margin of error. Perfil notes that 17% of voters could still change their minds, and Infobae mentions a "technical tie" from which all projections point to a runoff.

The Argentine partisan dimension is very present. La Nación reports that at least ten leaders from all branches of the Justicialist Party (PJ), led by "Wado" de Pedro, have traveled to São Paulo and Rio to support Lula, "historical ally of Kirchnerism". A PT victory would be "the first stop" to the "blue wave": in just over a year, the right has won in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. The PJ remains cautious and dismisses the idea that the result weighs on the 2027 Argentine presidential election. Flávio Bolsonaro is presented as "Javier Milei's favorite candidate".

The economic angle is covered by Ámbito, which opposes two rhythms of budget adjustment: a gradual consolidation with more social spending for Lula, and an acceleration with privatizations for his rival. For Argentina, "the key" lies in the effects on bilateral trade, industrial competitiveness, and investments.

The shadow of Washington returns in several texts. Perfil reports, according to UOL, the fear of American diplomats that Donald Trump may not recognize a narrow Lula victory; Trump responded that he was following the election "very closely". MercoPress, in English, reprints a column by Gwynne Dyer on the weight of alternative media and cites a campaign clip by Lula accusing Trump of wanting to "colonize Brazil". A Perfil editorial, "Por qué gana Lula", defends the outgoing president's record, with inflation at 3% according to the author.

Brasília, October 4, 2026. Brazilians are voting this Sunday, and the country's press describes a showdown between two names. Estadão talks about a campaign "captured by corruption scandals and the crisis at the Federal Supreme Court" (STF), which has ruled out a third way and narrowed the race to Lula (PT), 80, running for a fourth term, and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), 45.

Polls published on Saturday, October 3, show a tight duel. Datafolha gives Lula 45% of valid votes against 42% for Flávio, a technical tie with a margin of two points. Folha notes that this is the smallest gap on the eve of a first round in Datafolha polls since 1989: it was 14 points in 2022. Atlas, cited by Estadão, credits Lula with 47% against 44.1%, and then 50.1% against 49.9% in the second round. At Datafolha, Lula leads among 16-24 year olds (46% against 32%) and those 60 and older (47% against 38%); the intermediate brackets are in a technical tie.

The campaign has been about rejection. Folha reports that Lula's team sought to increase rejection of Flávio, relying on the "Dark Horse" case: the candidate appears in message exchanges, asking for money from Daniel Vorcaro, boss of former Banco Master, for a film about his father. G1 recalls that Jair Bolsonaro is serving his sentence for attempted coup d'etat under house arrest. Lula, for his part, must counter wear and tear after 44 years of electoral life; his latest spot says: "mudar para trás, a gente já viu no que deu". The two men have around 45% disapproval, according to Estadão.

Ottawa, October 4, 2026. For the Canadian press, Brazil votes on Sunday in a "knife-edge" election, according to the National Post, which picks up an AFP dispatch: outgoing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, is running for a fourth term, against right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The National Post describes a campaign "marked by scandals and personal attacks". On Saturday, the two men held their last rallies in the key states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Lula concluded his campaign by repeating that Brazil's sovereignty is at stake in the face of pressure from US President Donald Trump. Supporters in red, caps and "Make Lula President Again" t-shirts, echo this theme: a 44-year-old educator, Adriana Lima, claims that Lula is "the only president who has cared about the people" and refuses to let Trump treat Brazil like a "backyard".

The newspaper recalls that Jair Bolsonaro, a close ally of Trump, is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup after his 2022 defeat. According to polls, neither of the two candidates should win on Sunday and they are statistically tied for a second round set for October 25.

The Globe and Mail takes a more educational approach with its "what you need to know" guide to a "very polarized" race. Twelve candidates are running, but only Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro have a real chance of winning. The newspaper emphasizes that Lula is participating in his seventh presidential election, while Bolsonaro, in his first, is trying to bring his name back to power after his father's term from 2019 to 2022.

Santiago, October 4, 2026. Chilean media is covering the Brazilian presidential election as a tight duel between Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, a candidate for a non-consecutive fourth term, and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, presented as "ultraderechista". The vote takes place this Sunday, October 4; if no one obtains a majority, a second round is set for October 25.

Polls dominate the narrative. La Tercera cites the CNT/MDA survey, conducted from September 29 to October 2: Lula at 43.1% against 38% for Bolsonaro, or 47.8% against 42.1% in valid votes, with a margin of error of 2.2 points. BioBioChile, which relies on three surveys relayed by Bloomberg, talks about an election "que nadie se atreve a dar por resuelta": AtlasIntel gives 47% against 44%, Datafolha 45% against 42%, Globo 46% against 45%, while Quaest places Bolsonaro ahead, 44% against 42%. The media notes that these gaps are, statistically, ties.

On Saturday, October 3, Lula closed his campaign in São Paulo, the country's largest electoral college. El Ciudadano recalls that the state has more than 34 million voters; BioBioChile and La Tercera describe a caravan of thousands of people dressed in red, which the PT has dubbed "the last ball". Lula invited people to vote, knowing that on one side are "democracy and sovereignty" and on the other "barbarism and corruption", and promised to ban online betting and put an end to the 6x1 work schedule.

Bogotá, October 4, 2026. Colombian economic media outlets are focusing their coverage of the Brazilian election on the numerical balance of power and the institutional architecture of the vote. Portafolio notes that "it's not just Lula or Flávio Bolsonaro": on Sunday, Brazilians will cast six ballots, for the presidency, state authorities, and a Congress whose importance is growing. More than 158 million voters are being called to elect nearly 1,800 positions.

The newspaper emphasizes the parliamentary stakes. The Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of the Senate, both currently with a conservative majority, will be renewed, and their vote is necessary for the amnesty that Flávio Bolsonaro is defending for his father. Jair Bolsonaro is being held, sentenced to 27 years in prison for an attempted coup against Lula in 2022. Portafolio also details the family dimension: Michelle and Carlos Bolsonaro are vying for two of the 54 Senate seats, Jair Renan Bolsonaro, 28, a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, the one his half-brother Eduardo left when he went into exile in the United States in 2025.

Portafolio describes Lula, soon to be 81 and seeking a fourth term, campaigning in São Paulo wearing a hat, surrounded by a "red tide", the color of the Workers' Party, which has paralyzed the Avenida Paulista, as the campaign comes to a close.

Berlin, October 4, 2026. More than 158 million Brazilians are voting this Sunday for their president, Congress, governors, and state parliaments, recalls ZEIT. The polls are announcing a "neck-and-neck race" between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Neither of the two would achieve an absolute majority: a second round on October 25 is considered "almost certain".

The Tagesschau focuses on the character of Lula. At 80 years old, the former union leader is seeking a fourth term. Its report starts from a restaurant in São Bernardo do Campo, the former "Detroit of Brazil", where a former metallurgist evokes the general strike of 1979 under the dictatorship. Lula is described as "close to the people and pragmatic", and as an important partner for Europe.

Deutsche Welle reports on the closing of the campaign in São Paulo. Lula has promised to "defeat the far right" and opposed "democracy and sovereignty" to "barbarism and corruption"; his organizers claim 150,000 people. Flávio Bolsonaro, 45 years old, paraded on a motorcycle promising increased security and tax cuts, and says he is convinced of winning in the first round. He brandished a portrait of his father, whom the crowd called "mito".

Quito, October 4, 2026. For the Ecuadorian press, the first round of the Brazilian presidential election far exceeds Brazil's borders. Primicias headlines with elections "that can redefine the balance of power in the region" and recalls that more than 158 million Brazilians are called to the polls this Sunday, October 4.

The newspaper describes a tense campaign closing, "between accusations and polemics". Lula estimates that "the elections will be defined on Sunday", while Senator Flávio Bolsonaro claims that the outgoing president "will be expelled" from power. On Saturday, October 3, the two rivals held caravans and motorcycle parades in front of thousands of supporters.

The reading is first and foremost geopolitical. Primicias writes that the country, "the largest in South America", is one of the most coveted pieces on Donald Trump's chessboard, and that the result will shape the Latin American political map for the remainder of the Republican's term. The daily speaks of a choice between maintaining Lula and "the rise of the ultra-rightist Flávio Bolsonaro", in the face of pressure from Washington.

El Universo, which reprints an AFP dispatch, emphasizes the generational and family duel. Lula, who is seeking a fourth term at nearly 81 years old, was to close his campaign perched on the roof of a car in front of the crowd in São Paulo, the city where he had already ended his campaign four years ago, when he won against Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022) in a tumultuous second round. Flávio, 45, travels through the interior of the state of São Paulo by motorcycle, "in the style" of his father, and seeks to join the progress of conservative governments in Latin America.

Madrid, October 4, 2026. For the Spanish press, the Brazilian first round is not just a possible alternation: it's the clash of "two radically opposed projects," according to ElDiario.es. Voters are casting their ballots this Sunday, October 4, and if no one exceeds 50%, a second round will take place on October 25.

The latest Datafolha figures are reported with caution. Lula would win in the first round with 45% against 42% for Flávio Bolsonaro, and in the second round with 47 to 46. ElDiario.es recalls that just two weeks ago, Flávio was leading in voting intentions. The gap is within the margin of error.

El País in English emphasizes the genesis of the movement. Jair Bolsonaro, president from 2019 to 2023, is currently under house arrest for his attempted coup. He has designated his son, a senator, as the candidate. The newspaper describes him as a copy "without sparkle and without charisma" of his father, who has nonetheless managed to equal Lula in the polls. According to El País, the hard right endures because it keeps moral issues at the center of its program and presents the left as a threat to faith and family.

Religion occupies a unique place in these narratives. ElDiario.es tells the story of the entry into the campaign of a black virgin, Nossa Senhora Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil since 1930, an icon of popular Catholicism, which the most radical sectors reject. The media cites journalist Maria Cristina Fernandes, who says a movement within the Catholic Church is reacting to a portion of evangelicals who are mobilizing a bill.

Paris, October 4, 2026. The French press is covering the first round of the Brazilian election through its key players. BFMTV presents Lula, 80, as the one who is "probably fighting his last political battle" against Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, with the task of containing the conservative wave that has swept Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and then Colombia and Peru. Sud Ouest and La Tribune emphasize the physical staging of the president: treadmill, squats, boxing gloves, Panama hat worn since the removal of a cancerous lesion, promise to "live up to 120 years". His rival calls him a "expired product", or even a "Brazilian Biden".

The challenger is described as an heir. 20 Minutes presents him as "Son 01", a senator designated by a father sentenced to twenty-seven years in prison for attempting a coup. Jean-Jacques Kourliandsky, from the Jean-Jaurès Foundation, estimates that he "obviously does not have the same charisma as his father, but he has the name, the Bolsonaro brand". Thomás Zicman de Barros, from Sciences Po, sees him as "a political puppet". France 24 recalls that he promises to pardon his father if he comes to power.

On the ground, France 24 reports on the campaign closures on Saturday, October 3, in São Paulo, where a fifth of the electorate lives: a red tide on Paulista Avenue for Lula, a motorcycle parade for Flavio. The channel describes a country "deeply polarized" where the vote "is akin to a real choice of society", two candidates neck and neck, neither approaching 50%, and a second round set for October 25.

Lima, October 4, 2026. The Peruvian press is treating the first round of the Brazilian election as a poll race. Ojo opens with a "technical tie" between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, classified on the left, and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, classified on the right, who are facing off in the polls this Sunday. The newspaper recalls that, failing to exceed 50% of the votes, the two men would go to the second round on October 25.

The numbers occupy the bulk of the story. According to the Datafolha institute, published on Saturday, October 3, Lula collects 45% of valid votes and Bolsonaro 42%. For a potential second round, Lula gets 47% and Bolsonaro 46%. Two days earlier, the same measure gave 48% against 45% to the president: Ojo concludes that Bolsonaro has "acortado la distancia". A second poll, signed Quaest, places Lula at 46% and Bolsonaro at 45% in the first round. In the event of a runoff, it is this time the senator who takes the lead, with 44% against 42%.

The newspaper then describes the closing of the campaign: on Saturday, the two candidates held simultaneous and well-attended rallies in different regions of the state of São Paulo, the country's first electoral college with 34 million voters out of 158 million registered. Ojo also notes a calendar detail: the voting of Brazilians began on Saturday in Oceania and Asia, where Bolsonaro benefits from stronger support than Lula.

Islamabad, October 4, 2026. For Geo News, this Sunday's Brazilian election is first and foremost marked by an absence: "one of the biggest names influencing the election will not appear anywhere on the ballot: Donald Trump." Nearly 160 million Brazilians are called to vote. Twelve candidates are in the running, but Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is seeking a new term, and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, dominate the race.

The Pakistani media explains how the Bolsonaro family's ties to the American president have made Washington an unusually central theme. Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year prison sentence, convicted of plotting a coup after his 2022 defeat. Geo recalls that Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports last year, citing the prosecution of the former president. Lula saw this as an attempt to interfere in Brazil's affairs.

The two camps are presented in mirror image. Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, has assumed these ties: he has visited the White House and the State Department and defends a rapprochement with Washington in his foreign policy project. Lula takes the opposite approach, invoking Brazilian sovereignty and warning Donald Trump against any interference. When asked on Friday, October 2, the American president said that Washington is "watching that election very closely," at a time when the United States temporarily suspended its consular services in Brazil for security reasons.

Lisbon, October 4, 2026. For the Portuguese press, Brazil is voting this Sunday in a "muito dividido" country, where polls announce a second round. News bulletins from Observador recall that more than 158 million voters are called to the polls, in a "altamente polarizado" election between the left of Lula da Silva and the right of Flávio Bolsonaro. Voting is compulsory and also designates governors, senators, and deputies.

Observador reports on the eve of the campaign: the two candidates ended their day in São Paulo. Flávio Bolsonaro, surrounded by Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, asked for a "voto de protesto" and promised "um governo de pacificação", judging that the ministers of the STF cannot be "agentes políticos". Lula, 80 years old, opposed "a democracia" to "a barbárie" and promised a "revolução educacional e tecnológica" if he is re-elected. The son of Jair Bolsonaro is seeking to return power to the Bolsonarist camp, four years after his father's defeat against the same opponent.

Jornal Económico gives the floor to André Pereira Matos, a politologist from the Open University and the University of Minho. According to him, Lula "terá mais dificuldade em ser reeleito" than four years ago, in a country "partido ao meio". He estimates that the campaign has focused on three themes: sovereignty, where Lula tries to associate his opponent with protection from the United States without great gain, corruption, with a perception surrounding the president, and the investigation targeting Flávio Bolsonaro in the Banco Master case, authorized by the Supreme Court.

Belgrade, October 4, 2026. The Serbian press is treating the Brazilian election as an announced duel between the outgoing president and the son of his predecessor. Politika, citing the AP agency, presents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro as the "main rivals" in general elections where voting is compulsory: abstainers without a valid excuse risk a fine.

Politika recalls that Lula, 80, is running in his seventh presidential election and is aiming for a fourth non-consecutive term, while Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, is running for the first time and is seeking to bring his family back to power, his father having presided from 2019 to 2022. The daily notes that the two men differ on the fight against organized crime, the Amazon, and relations with the Donald Trump administration. Lula has emphasized the protection of natural resources and the pursuit of social benefits; Bolsonaro, on a tougher fight against organized crime.

N1 Serbia, which relies on Reuters, poses the question on a regional scale: will Brazil follow the "conservative turn" that has gained the region or will it choose its own path? The site judges it likely that Lula will come out on top by a narrow margin, but unlikely that he will obtain the majority of valid votes necessary to avoid a second round. It cites an Atlas poll published on Tuesday, which gives 47.6% to Lula and 47.7% to Bolsonaro for the second round on October 25. N1 also mentions the tensions with Trump, whose administration has imposed tariffs on Brazilian products, and Lula's warning against foreign interference. Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted last year for planning a coup, saw Trump describe the procedure as a "witch hunt".

Stockholm, October 4, 2026. Svenska Dagbladet and Aftonbladet published, on Sunday, October 4, the same text titled "Brasilien till val – Lula mot Bolsonaro". It presents the election as a "vägval", a choice of path for the country.

The question is posed in terms of regional trajectory. Will Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Workers' Party, PT) succeed in the feat of being elected for a fourth term and "resisting the right-wing wave in Latin America"? Or will Senator Flávio Bolsonaro (Liberal Party, PL) from Rio de Janeiro win, with Brazil then following the trend?

Lula's portrait occupies a central place. A former union leader, he has more than four decades of political career, has been president of the country since 2023 and already led it from 2003 to 2011. Sentenced to prison for corruption in 2017, a verdict later overturned, he made a "sensational" comeback in 2022 by beating, at 76 years old, the outgoing president Jair Bolsonaro.

The assessment is presented as follows: priority to reducing economic and social inequalities, successful fight against deforestation in the Amazon. According to the World Bank, poverty is historically low, but inequalities persist and public debt has increased. Lula says he is confident: "I don't see how we could lose this election," he recently stated, according to The Guardian.

The election was supposed to be a rematch between Lula and Jair Bolsonaro. The latter being under house arrest, Lula faces his son, the jurist and senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45 years old, who "pursues his father's political work".

London, 4 October 2026. For the British press, this Sunday's Brazilian election goes beyond the internal duel. The Guardian, in an article dated Saturday, 3 October, presents it as a test for the increasingly Donald Trump-aligned Latin American bloc.

The daily recalls that, shortly after his speech at the UN General Assembly in September, the American president met with a dozen regional leaders and boasted that right-wing candidates had won the seven presidential elections held since the beginning of his second term. "Everybody I've endorsed has won," he said in New York before most members of the Shield of the Americas, a 15-country anti-narcotics coalition governed by the right or far right. These victories, added to the American takeover of Venezuela after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, leave only six Latin American countries on the left: Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Guatemala, Cuba, and Nicaragua.

The Guardian notes that analysts see Brazil as the last country in the region still able to say "no" to Washington, with Mexico being held back by its geographical proximity and unique economic relationship with the United States. Pedro Telles, a professor of international relations at FGV, estimates that Trump "takes very seriously the idea that the Americas are his backyard"; a victory for Flávio Bolsonaro would be a blow to the regional left, according to him.

The United States, October 4, 2026. For the American press, the first round of the Brazilian election on Sunday is being played out as much in Brasilia as in the White House. ABC News, via a dispatch, describes a "high-risk" election pitting incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 80, against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, 45, son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and ally of Donald Trump. Twelve candidates are in the running, but only these two are considered capable of winning. Without a majority of more than 50%, a second round will take place on October 25. Nearly 159 million voters are registered, and voting is mandatory.

The American prism is explicit. ABC recalls that Flávio Bolsonaro has bet on his ideological alliance with Trump and asserts that Brazil must conclude better agreements with the American administration, including on rare earths, of which the country estimates it holds up to 21 million tonnes. Lula, on the other hand, has criticized Washington and repeatedly mentioned the risks of American intervention, after high tariffs on Brazilian exports, the revocation of the visa of the Brazilian ambassador to Washington, and sanctions targeting a judge of the Supreme Court. The agency also notes that Lula has strengthened ties with Beijing and that Trump's allies are making progress in Argentina, Colombia, and Peru. NPR summarizes the stakes: by voting, some Brazilians are deciding "the influence that Trump should have" in their country, while other voters, the radio says, want neither of the two candidates.

Montevideo, October 4, 2026. For the Uruguayan press, the first round of the Brazilian elections this Sunday, October 4, far exceeds the national framework. El Observador describes an election as "polarized and of strong regional impact": 158 million eligible voters, 13 registered candidates, and two favorites, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old senator and son of Jair Bolsonaro.

Subrayado reports on the closing of the campaign on Saturday, October 3. Lula traveled through São Paulo in a crowd, surrounded by a "red tide" that paralyzed the Paulista Avenue; he is seeking a fourth term at nearly 81 years old and has promised to fight for the Brazilian people to "defeat the far right". Flávio Bolsonaro, for his part, toured the interior of the state at the head of a procession of hundreds of motorcycles, in the style of his father. Since neither of the two is reaching a majority in the polls, a second round is expected on October 25.

The American dimension dominates the local reading. El Observador recalls that Donald Trump is following the election "very closely", without official support, but that he received Flávio at the White House in May and took sanctions against Brazilian officials, accused by him of leading a "witch hunt" against Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has made sovereignty his central theme and accuses his rival of submitting to Washington. The article frames the vote in the "orange wave", an expression coined by The Economist to describe the shift to the right of several Latin American countries; a victory for Lula would keep Brazil among the few progressive governments, along with Mexico and Uruguay.