Only two kilometers separated the crowds of supporters of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), candidates for President of the Republic, in central Brasília this Saturday (24), the eve of the elections. There were provocations between the two sides midway, when voters eventually crossed paths in the streets.
Supporters of the two campaigns said that an insurmountable distance formed between them, but the word democracy was repeated on both sides. At both rallies there were sound trucks playing campaign jingles and the National Anthem. While the predominantly red-clad group gathered in the vicinity of the National Museum, those in yellow went to the TV Tower.
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Wearing a red shirt with the image of current president Lula, architect Hanna Brandini, 33, heard shouts from people on the other side of the street. But she was not bothered. It was the first big demonstration she had taken part in.
Architect Hanna Brandini says the campaign was marked by a great deal of misinformation – Photo Rafa Neddermeyer/Agência Brasil
"I understand that this was a campaign marked by a lot of misinformation. The disagreements may be only momentary," she said.
Passing by her on the same sidewalk, wearing a Brazilian national team shirt, was the law graduate who preferred to…
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Just two kilometers separated, in central Brasília, the crowds of supporters of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), candidates for President of the Republic, this Saturday (24), the eve of the elections. There were provocations between the two sides midway, when the voters eventually ran into each other on the streets.
The supporters of the two candidacies said that an insurmountable distance formed between them, but the word democracy was repeated by both sides. At both rallies, there were sound trucks playing campaign jingles and the National Anthem. While the predominantly red-clad group gathered in the vicinity of the National Museum, those in yellow headed to the TV Tower.
Wearing a red shirt with the image of current president Lula, 33-year-old architect Hanna Brandini heard shouts from people across the street. But she was not bothered. It was the first major rally she had ever attended.
Architect Hanna Brandini says the campaign was marked by a great deal of disinformation - Photo Rafa Neddermeyer/Agência Brasil
"I understand it was a campaign marked by a great deal of disinformation. The disagreements may only be momentary," she said.
Passing by her on the same sidewalk, wearing a Brazilian national team shirt, was the law graduate who preferred to identify himself only as Leonardo*, 36 years old.
"I've ended many friendships. I understand there is intolerance on all sides. What happened on January 8 (the 2023 anti-democratic acts), for example, is condemnable. But I felt discriminated against in recent years," he said.
He hopes that the next government, to be elected this Sunday (25), will be met with respect from whoever is defeated.
Also wearing Brazilian national team shirts were friends Lana Wendy Rodrigues, a 29-year-old daycare monitor, and saleswoman Dayane Gomes, 32. Both residents of Sobradinho 2, on the outskirts of the Federal District, they say they have faced no resistance or intolerance from those who think differently because they prefer to avoid "political conversations" in day-to-day life. They say they live in a "bubble" where there is a preference for "right-wing" ideals. Together, they brought a Brazilian flag to the rally.
Against extremism
Lana and Dayane, however, had two siblings who preferred not to wear yellow at the rally. Bank clerk Samuel Nascimento, 26, and consultant Julia Nascimento, 34, usually attend rallies together and are opposed to "extremisms."
"I understand that democracy must be respected by whoever wins and by whoever loses. The alternation of power needs to be peaceful," said the young man.
Selling fans, caps, and T-shirts with images of candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, 18-year-old high school student Maria Eduarda Nascimento was excited about her first vote. It is an important year for her, as she intends to try to enter a higher education program in biomedicine. She says she was influenced by her father's preferences and also by friends from the evangelical church she attends in Ceilândia, the largest administrative region of the Federal District.
Two kilometers away, 16-year-old twin sisters Laila and Melissa Lacerda were also enthusiastic about voting for the first time, for president Lula. In the routine of their second year of high school studies, they said they are very happy and excited about the participation of young people in the rallies.
Twins Melissa and Laila during a rally in Brasília in support of President Lula's reelection - Photo Lula Marques/Agência Brasil.
Laila understands that all her friends have free public education and disarmament as their main causes. "We cannot agree with those who advocate for more guns on the streets," said Laila.
Change of opinion
Also excited about the rally was 73-year-old retired economist Murilo da Cunha. Due to a rare neurological disease, he traveled along the Esplanada dos Ministérios in a wheelchair.
"I am very happy and I have never seen anything like it in my life. I compare it to the Diretas Já movement in the 1980s and the cara-pintadas in 1992," he recalled. He lamented having become estranged from family members and friends because of differences of opinion.
Murilo da Cunha traveled along the Esplanada dos Ministérios in a wheelchair - Photo Lula Marques/Agência Brasil.
Nearby, on the Esplanada, a couple chose not to wear red to the rally. José Pedro Oliveira, 61, and Ana Carolina Campos, 48, said that in 2018 they voted for Jair Bolsonaro for president. The change of opinion came after their teenage son was in danger of dying in an Intensive Care Unit with covid-19.
"We were very disappointed and came to think radically differently. Our son is graduating this year in computer science, and we must strive to ensure that denialism does not threaten anyone else's life," said Ana Carolina. José Pedro said he became estranged from family members and friends after the episode.
José Pedro and his wife Ana Carolina Oliveira at the rally in support of President Lula - Photo Lula Marques/Agência Brasil.
A group of friends at the rally also explained that their vote for Lula was related to the protection of Black and LGBT people. University students Nathália Rocha, 25, and Eduardo Couto, 28, along with 28-year-old lawyer Sophia Barbosa, emphasized the need to regulate social media, which, according to them, opened an abyss between Brazilians. "This is urgent. Our democracy demands it," said the lawyer.
Nathalia Rocha, Eduardo Couto and Sofia Barbosa advocate for the regulation of social media - Photo Lula Marques/Agência Brasil.
Rallies across Brazil
In Maceió (AL), Lula supporters gathered on the waterfront before sunrise to take part in a run for the current president. The start was at 5:13 in the morning.
In Fortaleza (CE), there was also a morning road race. Surfers, swimmers, and rowing athletes held a rally in the sea in support of Lula with the slogan "The Beach Is Ours."
Supporters of candidate Flávio Bolsonaro held a rally in Goiânia (GO) in the morning. There were also rallies in Cuiabá (MT), Dourados (MS), Vitória (ES), and various other cities across the country.
Lula took part in a rally in the morning in Copacabana, in Rio de Janeiro, and in the afternoon was with supporters on Paulista Avenue, in São Paulo.
Candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, in turn, accompanied a motorcycle caravan in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, in the morning and then held a rally in Barra da Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro.
*Iara Balduino contributed to this report