Lula and Bolsonaro face uncertain election showdown amid corruption scandal

Brazil’s presidential race has tightened around a corruption scandal involving Banco Master, with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro preparing to face voters in a contest still too close to call.

Recent polls give Lula a lead of about five percentage points in the first round, but Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and the candidate of Brazil’s far right, has been steadily narrowing the gap. The campaign has become increasingly tense as revelations from the Banco Master case spread.

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a consortium

The private bank was liquidated by order of the Central Bank last year after causing losses of more than $11 billion to public pension funds. Investigations remain open, mostly under judicial seal, and have touched politicians, authorities and Supreme Court judges.

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those people who have tried to destroy democracy

The political crisis intensified after the release of compromising messages sent by Daniel Vorcaro, Banco Master’s former owner, to Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Moraes served as the judge overseeing the case that led to Jair Bolsonaro’s conviction for an attempted coup. Both political camps have sought to connect the scandal to their opponent.

Flávio Bolsonaro has accused Lula of belonging to “a consortium” with “those people who have tried to destroy democracy.” The left, meanwhile, has focused on his admission that Vorcaro gave him at least $12 million to sponsor a film about his father’s political rise. Flávio has defended the sponsorship as legal private funding but has so far avoided requests to show the contract and explain where the money went.

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selective

Lula has called for rigorous investigations while criticizing what he described as “selective” leaks. He said “some people” were trying to “weaken” democratic institutions. In a radio interview, Lula framed the vote as “a decision about what kind of Brazil we want.”

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some people