Brazil’s presidential election was thrown into fresh uncertainty after the Supreme Court extended voting by two hours, prompting electoral authorities to suspend the publication of results that had already begun to emerge.
The runoff pits leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former president Jair Bolsonaro.
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Polling stations were due to close at 5pm local time (8pm Irish time), but will now remain open until 7pm. Supreme Justice Cristiano Zanin approved a request from Mr Lula’s campaign, which cited disruptions to public transportation in three cities in the state of Bahia.
The ruling came almost exactly at the original 5pm deadline, when the electoral court had begun releasing early figures showing Mr Lula ahead of Mr Bolsonaro, with 0.25% of ballots counted.
Following the decision, the Superior Electoral Court, known as the TSE, said it would halt the count until the extended voting period had ended.
Pause clouds election process
The interruption has added another layer of tension to a contest already shaped by the turmoil of 2022, when Jair Bolsonaro refused to accept his defeat by Mr Lula.
His supporters later stormed government buildings while protesting the result, and Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup.
US President Donald Trump has described the case as a “witch hunt” and imposed a 50% tariff on Brazil last year, explicitly linking the measure to Jair Bolsonaro’s trial.
Although several of those tariffs were later reduced, Mr Trump introduced new levies on Brazil this year, citing what he called unfair trade practices.
Flavio Bolsonaro (L) and Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva pictured before a debate during the election campaign
Mr Lula has portrayed the Trump administration’s close relationship with the Bolsonaro family as part of an effort to influence the election, while describing the tariffs and other punitive steps as bullying.
His campaign had asked electoral authorities to prolong voting in at least nine states after alleging that some officials had cut public transportation services on election day, making it harder for people to reach polling stations.
Earlier, a court in Bahia, a stronghold for Mr Lula in northeastern Brazil, ordered the arrest of a senior transport official in Salvador. The official was accused of directing a reduction in the city’s bus fleet.
Mr Bolsonaro had separately sought an extension of voting in at least three states, pointing to severe weather.
A victory for the 45-year-old Mr Bolsonaro would continue a series of right-wing successes among Latin American candidates aligned with Mr Trump. A fourth mandate for Mr Lula, meanwhile, would represent a setback for Washington, which has clashed with his government over trade and security.
The campaign has been driven by corruption scandals, economic unease and allegations of US interference, claims that Washington rejects.
Although inequality and unemployment have fallen, Mr Lula has struggled to persuade voters facing high living costs and significant household debt. Persistent gang violence has also remained a central concern.
Mr Bolsonaro has focused heavily on the cost-of-living crisis and promised a hard-line response to crime, including maximum-security prisons and chemical castration for serious sexual offences.
Candidates remain virtually level in polling
Opinion polls suggest the candidates are almost evenly matched heading into the runoff, with Mr Lula narrowing the gap during the final days of the campaign.
History, however, is on Mr Bolsonaro’s side: no candidate has ever won the presidency after finishing second in the first round.
Mr Bolsonaro secured 47% of the vote in the opening round, while Mr Lula received 45%.
The senator’s first-round performance sent Brazil’s markets and currency higher as investors anticipated pro-business reforms.
His showing was reinforced by gains for his Liberal Party and other right-wing candidates in congressional elections, potentially giving him a clearer legislative route or making governing more difficult for Mr Lula.
Lula says bus cuts prevented some voters from casting ballots
Mr Lula said large numbers of people had been “barred from voting” after buses were withdrawn from service in Sao Paulo and several other cities.
“We are asking the Supreme Court to extend the electoral process so that those who were effectively barred from voting, due to the dirty tactics of mayors, can still cast their votes,” said Mr Lula.
He claimed that 40% of buses had been removed from service in Sao Paulo, with similar disruptions reported in several cities across his native northeastern Brazil.
“I’ve never complained about anything in any election before. Whether I won or lost, I’d just accept it and get ready for the next one. But this time, something abominable is happening,” he said.
“No one should give up on voting just because some scoundrel of a business owner or some crooked, criminal mayor tried to stop the people from casting their ballots.”
Local media said 75 buses had been stopped from leaving depots in the city.
“We do, in fact, have transportation difficulties in some locations, which are already being resolved,” Kassio Nunes, president of the Superior Electoral Court, told journalists.
Brazilians in Ireland cast ballots at Dublin’s RDS
Thousands of Brazilians from across Ireland are voting at the RDS in Dublin today.
Voters have had to contend with the storm, traffic restrictions linked to the 45th Irish Life Dublin Marathon and a brief power outage at the RDS earlier this morning.
Electricity was cut for an hour, from 8:30am to 9:30am. Voting was suspended during that period before resuming.
Speaking to RTÉ News, the Brazilian ambassador said more than half of the registered Brazilian voters in Ireland are expected to participate in today’s election.
Brazilians living in Ireland on the upcoming presidential election
