Brazil's presidential election too close to call

RIO DE JANEIRO — President Jair Bolsonaro and challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were precise adjacent successful Brazil’s runoff statesmanlike predetermination Sunday aft 78% of the votes had been tallied. The predetermination pits an incumbent vowing to safeguard blimpish Christian values against a leftist erstwhile president promising to instrumentality the state to a much prosperous past.

Da Silva has 50.2% compared with 49.8% for Bolsonaro, according to the country’s predetermination authority.

Polls closed astatine 5 p.m. (4 p.m. EDT) nationwide. Because the ballot is conducted electronically, archetypal results are retired rapidly and last results are usually disposable a fewer hours later. Bolsonaro had been starring passim the archetypal fractional of the number and, arsenic soon arsenic da Silva overtook him, cars successful the streets of downtown Sao Paulo began honking their horns. People successful the streets of Rio de Janeiro’s Ipanema vicinity could beryllium heard shouting, “It turned!”

In the archetypal circular of voting, connected Oct. 2, the archetypal fractional of votes tallied likewise showed Bolsonaro ahead, with da Silva pulling up aboriginal aft votes from his strongholds were counted. Both men are well-known, divisive governmental figures who disturbance passionateness arsenic overmuch arsenic loathing.

The ballot volition find if the world’s fourth-largest ideology stays the aforesaid people of far-right authorities oregon returns a leftist to the apical occupation — and, successful the second case, whether Bolsonaro volition judge defeat. There were aggregate reports of what critics said appeared attempts to suppress turnout of apt voters for da Silva, who was president from 2003-2010.