⚡️🇧🇷 — Brazil’s presidential election will go to a 25 October runoff between right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after neither reached the 50% threshold required for victory; with ~97% counted, Bolsonaro had 47.45% and Lula 44.66%. Bolsonaro’s victory would extend a wave of right-wing wins across Latin America involving candidates aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump, while Lula’s reelection could complicate ties with Washington amid disputes over trade and security. — Reuters

➡️ Lula’s allies warned the Trump administration could refuse to recognize his victory, citing an aborted effort to send U.S. officials to Brazil; Trump has not formally endorsed a candidate but hosted Flavio Bolsonaro at the White House and publicly praised him. Reuters previously reported that Brazilian intelligence officials briefed French and German delegations on alleged U.S. and Russian interference before the election, while Washington rejected claims of interference in Brazilian affairs.

➡️ Despite declining inequality and unemployment, Lula has faced voter concerns over high living costs, heavy household debt, street crime and more pervasive gang activity. Bolsonaro has sought to capitalize on cost-of-living concerns, while Lula responded with an online-gambling ban, expanded welfare and proposed additional household debt relief as the race tightened.

Rising spending and public debt above 82% of GDP have heightened fiscal concerns for the incoming administration, while the government cut its economic-growth forecasts to 2.0% this year and 2.3% next year.

⭐️ Follow @MaxOsintIntel