NewzSAO PAULO (AP) — Front-runners in Brazil 's presidential race campaigned Saturday in the powerhouse state of Sao Paulo, where a fifth of the nation's vote is based, seeking to rally supporters and convince the undecided on the eve of… Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, traveled to the countryside cities of Santa Barbara d'Oeste and Americana.Sao Paulo is Brazil's heavyweight state, with 46 million residents and an annual gross domestic product of 3.4 trillion Brazilian reais ($650 billion). Some 34 million “paulistas,” as those born in the state are known, are eligible to vote.Lula told his supporters near Paulista Avenue, Sao Paulo's main artery, that this election represents an existential battle for the nation’s future.“On one side, we have democracy and sovereignty; on the other, barbarism and corruption,” Lula said, echoing key themes of his campaign.Last year, Brazil's Supreme Court sentenced Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison for attempting a coup after his 2022 electoral defeat to Lula.
Observers say he would likely be released from prison if his son wins the election.Lula's team has also repeatedly cast Flávio Bolsonaro as a threat to Brazil's sovereignty, pointing to his proximity with U.S. Last year, the American leader imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports due to Jair Bolsonaro's trial, which Trump called a “witch hunt.”‘Brazil is a conservative country’Thirty-two-year-old Daniella Fernandes, who works at a public school in Sao Paulo as a secretary, said that, at first, she wanted another Workers’ Party politician to run instead of Lula. But she changed her mind during the campaign.“I wanted some renovation, but Lula is the only one who can appeal to everyone — even those who are not on the left,” said Fernandes, who was wearing several Lula badges on her white shirt.
“The Bolsonaros are still strong, Brazil is a conservative country. Only Lula can win this one.”Some 140 kilometers away (87 miles) from Lula in downtown Sao Paulo, Flávio Bolsonaro was trailed by a long line of supporters kitted out in yellow and green on motorbikes as he made his way on top of a …
Summary from source