Brazil facing 'most important election' since return to democracy
South America
South America

Brazil facing 'most important election' since return to democracy

Brazil's election is going into a second round in which left-winger Luiz InĂ¡cio Lula da Silva will face far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

Voters now have four weeks to decide which of the two should lead the world's fourth largest democracy. 

Our World News Editor Kate Gregan has more.

This election is billed as the most important since the country returned to democracy in 1989.

And both candidates have already claimed the first round as a victory. 

For left-winger Lula - who couldn't run in the 2018 election because he was in prison after being convicted on corruption charges - this spells a remarkable comeback.

And for far-right Bolsonaro, whom opinion polls had shown trailing far behind Lula, has rejoiced in the fact that he proved the pollsters wrong.

But here's what voters had to say.

"We have to participate, although we often say, which one is the least bad, but unfortunately we have to decide and think it through as the future is in our hands."

"I think the feeling is that we can see better times for Brazil after four years."

This campaign has been personal -- and it's expected to heat up over the next month. 

The two men are arch-rivals and have spent the last few weeks trading insults.

Lula used Bolsonaro's love of guns to offer up a more peaceful future - meanwhile, Bolsonaro is a man accused of attacking democracy. 

He's long cast doubt on the country's voting system, and in recent weeks, his party has claimed - with no evidence - that the election could be fixed. 

But - like any election - both candidates have people firmly in their corner. 

Robson William told the BBC - his money's on the incumbent. 

"Brazil is really evolving, it is even better than the U.S. which is a first-world country. Bolsonaro is in favour of the family, security, he isn't corrupt and he supports health."

Since the two candidates are such polar opposites, there's a lot at stake.

Lula says he will to protect the Amazon rainforest, while Bolsonaro argues that parts of the rainforest should be opened up to economic exploitation.

But voters in Brazil have many other pressing concerns, such as rising food prices.

Ricardo is unemployed and lives in a Favela - a Brazilian slum. 

He has to wash his dishes with a bucket of rainwater - and he's backing Lula. 

"I am not going to say that Bolsonaro hasn't helped, but in the pandemic, he didn't have a decent response for the people who lost family. So between him and Lula, I prefer Lula, he doesn't want war and we just want to live a quiet life, with a decent job that allows us to eat every day."

The second vote will take place on the 30th of October.