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Lula supporters put celebrations on hold after Brazil’s presidential election result | World News

kignews10/03/2022

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It was going to be a party, or at least that was the plan, and even as we drove toward the thousands of Lula supporters who had taken over a square in downtown Rio de Janeiro, we I could hear cheers and shouts from overrun bars and cafes – and staff struggling to serve food and beer.

Television election programs beamed the latest results into the street party, each of their men’s victories greeted with cheers and singing.

But gradually at first, they began to realize that the far-right vote was going better than expected.

Polls show President Jair Bolsonaro 14 points ahead of his left-wing opponent – that’s not how things go.

Celebrations here have been paused.

Consensus is now the fight must continue for another round at the end of the month.

We met 25-year-old Thayane Massopust standing outside a cafe, nervously watching a TV screen.

“I think, in my opinion, if Lula goes to the second round with Bolsonaro we will win, I’m not afraid of the second round,” she told me.

Yet another supporter, Bernardo Costa, is a little more worried, saying that things have suddenly become much more unpredictable and Bolsonaro’s supporters may feel they are motivated because he has done well. than expected.

“Yesterday we saw Lula win the first round, and now we are worried about that, that there will be a second round.”

Julia Borges, 23, is more optimistic about the outcome.

“Oh, it’s disappointing, but I still think we have a chance. It’s always been like this, there’s a history of going to the second round in these types of elections,” she told me.

“I think we don’t have to give up hope yet. The second round, I think it’s going to be positive for Lula, so maybe we just have to wait a little longer.”

As for Lilian Lobato, gathered in the square near the bookstore with her friends, she doesn’t even want to think about Bolsonaro’s four more years.

“We need change, 100%, it’s completely hopeless. I don’t know what we’ll do if Bolsonaro wins again, it’s like worst-case scenario…”

President Bolsonaro benefited from a surprisingly weak performance by lesser-known presidential candidates.

He’s still very much in the fight. Rio is one of the key centers of this election, and winning here is crucial.

It’s definitely a party town, but not as liberal as one might think when you look closely.

Over 30% of Brazilians are evangelicals, and most vote for Bolsonaro, which means he has an available constituency, which is a significant starting point.

He can almost guarantee that they will return.

Pastor Pedro Correa explained to me before the service began at the Baptist Church of Rio de Janeiro: “Today, the agenda of the left has drawn innumerable values that run counter to biblical values, against the values of the church.

“Family, gender ideology, abortion, are non-negotiable values for the church. That’s why President Bolsonaro has won the sympathy of Protestants for those values. absolute that he defends from the Bible,” he said.

More than 115 million people voted in this first round, and it is paramount for both candidates before the second round to convince undecided voters.

They are the ones who can turn things around.

“I don’t like either of them because I don’t like Bolsonaro, because what he represents for the country is terrible, because he’s homophobic, he doesn’t like women and everything,” said Roberta. Malburg told me while queuing to vote.

“But Lula was also arrested, and I didn’t like him either. So it was an option.”