Some incredible, moving images of a great moment in Brazilian history here www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2026/oct...

Explode! The night after the first round of Brazil's election, students from the Fluminense Federal University took to the streets of Niterói ... the rest is history ... by @TiagoRogero & me www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/26/lula...

A few more thoughts on Brazil's election and what it means for Brazil's future and that of the Bolsonaros, with @safimichael www.theguardian.com/news/video/2026/oct/26...

“We have defeated the interference of the US government, which thought it could turn our country into its backyard. Brazil and the Brazilians are too gigantic to be anybody’s backyard,” says @ErikakHilton www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/26/braz...Mostrar mais

"The thing I most feared was that our Indigenous territories would be invaded again [under another Bolsonaro government]. Now, I am certain that they will be preserved and that there is no risk of illegal miners returning to destroy these populations,” @MarinaSilva tells me www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/oct/25...Mostrar mais

Wow! Lula did it! www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/26/lula...

I just spoke to key Lula ally Reginaldo Lopes who is elated at Lula’s apparent win. “This is Brazil telling the world that the extreme right is fascist … I feel incredible. We are going to win!”

Shouts of joy in Lula’s hotel as he takes the lead with nearly half of votes counted. Virou

Police cavalry in riot gear arriving on Paulista Avenue as Lula supporters gather. Tense.

Lula supporters are taking to the streets of São Paulo and say they are convinced that the public transport scandal is a deliberate ploy to damage Lula’s chances. “I think it’s another attempted coup by the extreme right,” says Lucas Lopes.

This feels horribly like 8 Jan 2023, when something that shouldn't have taken anyone at all by surprise, took everyone by surprise.

Reports on Brazilian TV of terrible chaos. Polling stations that had already closed their doors, reopening. Poll clerks completely confused. What a nightmare. Hard to say what the consequences might be, tonight and in the weeks and months ahead.

I am in São Paulo. @TiagoRogero is in Brasília. The @guardian election live blog is here. And it is going to be a very very long and messy night www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/oct/25...

What a mess. Polling has supposedly closed in Brazil - and no word from Brazil's electoral authorities about whether voting hours will be extended because of apparent sabotage of public transport in at least 10 states

Lula tells reporters he has never before complained about elections he has been involved in, irrespective of whether he had won or lost. "But this time something abominable is happening."

Amid claims of a deliberate pro-Bolsonaro attempt to suppress the vote in numerous parts of Brazil by sabotaging public transport, Lula warns of "abominable ... banditry" and urges people to keep trying to vote. Calls for voting to be extended by 2 hours until 7pm.

As if there wasn’t enough going on in South America today, María Corina Machado has just announced that she has returned to Venezuela

It would seem some electoral funny business is going on in the city of Salvador where dozens of buses have reportedly been confined to their garages in a suspected attempt to stop Lula voters getting to polling stations g1.globo.com/ba/bahia/noticia/2026/10/25/o...Mostrar mais

If Flávio Bolsonaro does win today, the consequences for the Indigenous people of the Amazon will be devastating. We travelled to Roraima to hear how the Yanomami are already seeing signs of another massive gold rush www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/23/braz...Mostrar mais

Grim images coming out of Brazil’s Minas Gerais state where a leftwing politician has reportedly been seriously injured and taken to hospital after her campaign vehicle came under attack by Bolsonaro supporters hurling objects.

"More than one million supporters of Brazil’s president Lula have streamed on to Rio’s most famous beach for a giant protest they hope will propel him towards a historic election fightback against his far-right rival, Flávio Bolsonaro. Later, Lula attended an even larger rally in…Mostrar mais

“Tens of thousands of supporters of Brazil’s president Lula have streamed on to Rio’s most famous beach for a giant protest they hope will propel him towards a historic election fightback against his far-right rival, Flávio Bolsonaro.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/24/lula...Mostrar mais

Wow there are a lot of people on Copacabana today

Last night’s debate reminds me that we still don’t really have a good translation for miliciano in English: “Mafia thug” maybe? Don’t think “militiaman” really cuts it

“Não to devendo nada a sociedade brasileira” is not a good line

One of the most unpleasant things about interviewing hardcore Bolsonaristas is how they constantly refer to Lula as nove dedos, or sometimes in English just “nine-y”. It’s gross. Lula just called him out on it in debate & the streets around my house are roaring with approval.

So much of the coverage of Brazil's election has focused on the southeast, so I decided to fly north to the Amazon, to Mucajaí - the most Bolsonarista town in Brazil's most Bolsonarista state - to understand what the vote means for the rainforest region + its inhabitants www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/23/braz...Mostrar mais

Looks like the fightback is on

Who the bloody hell is Mariana?

I wonder if winning 1st round of Brazil election wasn't the worst thing that cd have happened to Flávio Bolsonaro. It thrust him + his many skeletons into the spotlight; delivered massive jolt to the left + centre, who have awoken and are mobilizing; & allowed FB to start dreamin…Mostrar mais

"What my faith in human nature failed to account for was a perverse delight in destruction among a small cohort of the economic elite. There are people who appear to hate life & love death ... Brazil seems determined to revisit its nightmares," writes @GeorgeMonbiot www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/oct...Mostrar mais

“Uma sala secreta cheia de dinheiro” might actually be a scandal that sticks

Como se fala Usuário Master em português? 🤔

“All across the country, librarians, oil workers, engineers, journalists, architects, pilots, psychologists, seamstresses, street cleaners, teachers, influencers, and police officers used ballpoint pens to inscribe their professions on to their skin” @antoniotabet www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/20/flav...Mostrar mais

Pro-tip from @bloggingsbyboz this morning: "Don’t write the word “corrupto” on your hand and show it to the audience. For all the slick training and preparation, Flavio made at least one critical error. The image of the night was Flavio Bolsonaro with the word “corrupto” written…Mostrar mais

Not a single word about the Amazon

What a depressing debate. A grim portrait of what Brazil, and the world, has become

If I were Lula I’d call Bolsonaro out on the stalking. Stop trying to intimidate me like a mini-Trump, porra.

Bolsonaro trying to stalk Lula on stage à la Trump contra Clinton. Full Bukele on crime. Evasive on Milei.

Brazilians are today scratching their heads and wondering why Bolsonaro supporters would think it a good idea to go to a protest with an inflatable sex toy (?) imploring Donald Trump to “nuke Brazil”. Any ideas?

Is Meta se metendo? www1.folha.uol.com.br/colunas/monicabergam...

Today's polling in Brazil suggests that after a lethargic first round campaign, Lula may finally have the wind in his sails, amid huge anti-Bolsonaro street protests + a sudden realisation of what could be about to come to pass

'The veteran activist pauses to compose herself as she considers the prospect that in just a few weeks the “Herculean effort” of environmental + security forces in the Amazon could be undone. "It’s like the myth of Sisyphus. Rolling the boulder all the way up to the top and watch…Mostrar mais

“I’ve no doubt that this time they will try to finish the perverse project they started with Jair Bolsonaro,” @MarinaSilva tells the @guardian www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/10/mari...

Alguém sabe quando vai ser a próxima manifestação grande de estudantes no Rio de Janeiro?

“Clearly, Flávio’s plan is a corrosion of democracy so [Brazil] becomes a Hungary or Bukele-style system,” says @NPTO www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/07/flav...

"More fire, more ash, more crime, more death. And a globally important ecosystem driven ever more rapidly towards a point of no return. That is the prospect for the Amazon rainforest for at least the next four years if Flávio Bolsonaro wins," writes @jonathanwatts www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/07/flav...Mostrar mais

"Flávio Bolsonaro’s result shows that Bolsonarismo is a far-right movement that has put down deep roots in Brazilian society," says @BernardoMF www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/braz...

“Miracles are possible in politics. But I don’t see that happening,” the political scientist Miguel Lago said of Lula’s chances of snapping back. “I don’t see Flávio losing this election now.” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/flav...Mostrar mais

"With more than 98% of votes counted, the 45-year-old son of the disgraced former president, Jair Bolsonaro, had won 47.3%, meaning he will now face a 25 October showdown with his 80-year-old rival. Lula received 44.8%" www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/braz...Mostrar mais