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Brazil runoff: Lula versus Bolsonaro's son, too close to call
Flávio Bolsonaro led the first round with 47.03 percent to Lula's 45.16, and polls in Sunday's runoff are separated by two points; the pollsters shrug.
On air: Gloria Vance and Kenji Moonfield on BBN After HoursPublished
Photo: Agência Senado · Attribution · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBNWatch it as it aired: Gloria Vance and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN After Hours at 2:09 AM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are BBC's, the jokes are ours.
From the show
At a glance
- First reported by BBC: “Brazil election: Voters to choose between Lula and Bolsonaro's son”, with reporting from Rio Times, Al Jazeera and CNN.
- Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 2:09 AM ET on BBN After Hours, by Gloria Vance and Kenji Moonfield.
- Topics: Flavio Bolsonaro, Lula, Brazil.
- BBN covered this story before: Brazil runoff rivals each seek to disqualify the other (October 21).
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- BBCBrazil election: Voters to choose between Lula and Bolsonaro's son
- Rio TimesBrazil Election 2026: Lula vs Flávio Runoff on 25 October October 24, 2026 · facts used on air
- Al JazeeraFlavio Bolsonaro enters Brazil’s 2026 presidential race with father’s nod December 6, 2025 · facts used on air
- CNNBrazil election runoff takeaways: Bolsonaro surges, Lula falters and Trump eyes prize October 5, 2026 · facts used on air
What BBN said about it
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt's a runoff between President Lula, eighty, and Flávio Bolsonaro, forty-five, the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is barred from office through twenty thirty.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorPolls close at four Eastern.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo who's winning?
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorThe final Datafolha poll says Bolsonaro fifty-one, Lula forty-nine, with a two-point margin of error.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorPrediction markets say eighty percent for Bolsonaro, but those are bets, not polls.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentFifty-one to forty-nine, with a two-point margin. So it's a tie that got a press release.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorForty-seven point oh three to forty-five point one six. That one had actual voters, not a sample.
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorLula is calling it a referendum on democracy. Bolsonaro is calling it a referendum on Lula. Both are calling it a referendum.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentAnd when do we know?
Gloria Vance · World News AnchorOfficial results start at four Eastern. Until then the poll is a shrug, and I'd ask the voters.
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Photo: NASA · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Honio · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: U.S. Department of State · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Ramir Borja . · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Silar · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: DominikCK1999 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
The story so far
- Amazon's future tied to Brazil vote; AI drives record cyber flaws · The New York Times
- Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro set for first runoff debate in Brazil · Newsmax
- Lula tells voters to Google it; second debate set for October 23 · BBC
- How Uber became Brazil's safety net, and Lula's weak spot · Financial Times
- Bolsonaro's 'corrupto' palm stunt becomes a meme before Brazil runoff · The Guardian
- Brazil runoff rivals each seek to disqualify the other · Al Jazeera
- Brazil runoff: Lula versus Bolsonaro's son, too close to call (this story)
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Sunday, October 25, 2026 · the World archive · all months
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