Brazil election: Flávio Bolsonaro leads Lula in São Paulo poll, Lula ahead in Minas Gerais

In the crucial electoral battleground of São Paulo, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro holds a narrow lead over President Lula in the presidential race's second round. A Datafolha poll released Saturday shows Bolsonaro with 47% of voter intentions compared to Lula's 42%.

The survey, conducted with 1,610 voters aged 16 and over from August 18-19, has a margin of error of 2 percentage points. Approximately 9% of respondents indicated they would cast a blank or null vote, with 1% undecided. This result indicates stability since a July 3 survey, where Bolsonaro had 46% and Lula 43%, a difference within the margin of error.

In the first-round scenario for São Paulo, the candidates are in a technical tie: Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) at 35% and Lula (PT) at 34%. Other candidates like Renan Santos, Pablo Marçal, and Romeu Zema trail significantly.

Meanwhile, in Minas Gerais, another key state, President Lula holds a slight edge over Flávio Bolsonaro. The poll shows Lula with 46% of the vote compared to Bolsonaro's 42%. This survey, which included 1,204 voters from August 18-20, has a 3-point margin of error. For the first round in Minas Gerais, the candidates are also in a technical tie, with Lula at 31% and Bolsonaro at 33%.