Presidential hopefuls rally in São Paulo as runoff approaches

As Brazil's presidential race enters its final phase, candidates gathered supporters in the country's largest city. Flavio Bolsonaro, the first-round leader with 47 % of the vote, spent Sunday meeting São Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas and local mayors, emphasizing that his election would bring more federal resources to municipalities for crime prevention. Meanwhile, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva headlined a major rally on Avenida Paulista, promising to intensify efforts on public safety and to involve the federal government directly in tackling crime.

He appealed to the large contingent of young voters and reminded seniors that voting after age 70 remains optional. Among the crowd, 79-year-old Carlos Teobaldo da Silva, a retired Petrobras employee, declared his intention to vote for Lula, citing belief in a national turnaround. The events underscore the candidates' focus on security and grassroots support ahead of the upcoming runoff.