Mass rallies for Lula and Bolsonaro on eve of key vote
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro wrapped up their campaigns on Saturday ahead of Sunday's presidential runoff vote, mobilising supporters and making a final push for undecided voters. The two candidates have remained neck and neck in polls following a stronger-than-expected performance by the right-wing senator in the first round. On Saturday, a CNT/MDA poll showed the senator with a 1.3-point lead. Lula, who is seeking a fourth non-consecutive term, kicked off his last day of campaigning with a march along Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana beach, where thousands of supporters joined the leftist incumbent under a blazing sun. "We're going to win the election for one simple reason: it's true that the people want change, (but) they want to move forward. They don't want to go backward," Lula told journalists before the rally. Later, the president led another march in Sao Paulo, passing along Paulista Avenue, a traditional venue for political demonstrations in Brazil's largest city. "It's so exciting to see everyone here. This is the kind of energy we want for Brazil. Brazil is ours," said Gisele Passos, a 61-year-old businesswoman at the Sao Paulo rally. For many Lula supporters, the rallies carried a bittersweet undertone. The 80-year-old president...
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