Lula and Flavio face off in Brazilian presidential election, with economic issues at the center of voters' attention

[São Paulo Current Affairs] A presidential election will be held in Brazil on the 4th to coincide with the expiration of the term of leftist President Lula (80). Twelve candidates are competing, but it is effectively a one-on-one battle between Lula, who is seeking his fourth term in office, and right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro (45), the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The decision is likely to come down to a run-off election on the 25th between the top two candidates.

Close race, right-wing candidates catching up, one week until Brazil's presidential election

One of the biggest concerns of voters is economic and livelihood issues. Marcos Mathias, 35, a self-employed resident of Sao Paulo, the largest city, criticized Lula, saying, ``Lula has not fulfilled his promise of achieving a booming economy in his campaign.'' ``Many companies go bankrupt because they are unable to repay their loans due to high interest rates,'' he said, adding that he would vote for Flavio.

Iracema Rodríguez, 59, who runs a clothing store in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, said that inflation has made business difficult. Although he had voted for Lula in the past, he said, ``I can no longer support him,'' and this time he will support Flavio.

Brazil's economic growth is slowing, and rising prices are placing a heavy burden on household budgets. Although the unemployment rate remains at an all-time low, some surveys show that 80% of the population is struggling to meet their living expenses due to weak salary growth and high interest payments on debt.

Lula acknowledged that ``we know that the cost of living is high,'' but stressed that inflation has been kept under control since the previous administration. ``The situation has improved considerably,'' he said, highlighting his achievements.

In response, Flavio argued, ``If we're in debt, it's the current government's fault.'' The government has called for curbing public spending and lowering prices, but has not announced any specific measures to cut spending.

Many are concerned about Flavio's poor track record and the feasibility of his policies. Daniel Sousa, 21, a university student who lives near Sao Paulo, said, ``Flavio has not shown a vision for the future of the country.He is not suitable to be president.''

The election campaign has been focused on the scandals of the two main candidates and their family scandals, and policy debate has been at a slump. Both sides spent their time in a blame game, with local media reporting the election as ``an election that disrespected voters.''

According to a poll released on the 1st by the research firm Datafolia, Lula's approval rating was 42%, compared to 38% for Flavio. In the run-off, it was a close race with Lula at 48% and Flavio at 45%.