Without a new message and with ratings worsening, Lula sees Flávio close behind in the election’s dirty judicial brawl

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva enters the election with no new message to offer as his government’s ratings keep worsening, according to the framing of the discussion. In practice, he is tied with Flávio Bolsonaro in a potential second round.

The question is what Lula’s candidacy can do with the election mired in a legal-police war. Alexandre de Moraes and André Mendonça are described as being close to a physical confrontation, a duel, inside the Supreme Court. What voters will make of all this is difficult to know.