Against all the odds, Flávio Bolsonaro – the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro – has come first in Brazil’s presidential election. Although there will be a second round of the presidential race in three weeks’ time, as none of the candidates secured an outright majority, the first round of these fiercely contested elections has resulted in a painful defeat for the country’s left.

After securing 47 percent of the vote, Bolsonaro is in pole position for the second round, especially as three smaller right-wing candidates are out of the race. Their voters are now up for grabs.

All night long, as results poured in from across the vast country, Bolsonaro junior maintained his lead, remaining firmly ahead of the incumbent, President Lula, who eventually ended up with just 45 percent of the vote.

The disappointment must have been huge in Lula’s camp and within his Workers’ party (PT). Throughout the year, Lula has been leading in the polls, sometimes comfortably, although Bolsonaro appeared to be catching up in recent weeks. Last month, the PT began complaining about possible US interference in the election, leading to widespread fears on the left that Trump might be helping Bolsonaro – thereby wiping out the last and biggest bastion of the left in Latin America.

Brazil’s electoral authority said yesterday that no evidence of international interference........

© The Spectator