One controversial figure looms over the pack of 13 candidates running for president in Brazil on Sunday: Jair Bolsonaro, an ultraconservative former military man promising a Donald Trump-like shake-up of Latin America's biggest economy.
Voter surveys credit him with such a substantial lead that he is expected to be the favorite going into an October 28 run-off.
In that second round, he would likely face one of two trailing rivals: Fernando Haddad, a left-winger selected to replace jailed ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the Workers' Party candidate, or a center-left politician ranked with only an outside chance, Ciro Gomes.
Here is a look at the three main candidates in the race:
- Jair Bolsonaro -
Like Trump, the 63-year-old Bolsonaro is fond of tough-guy talk, eschews political correctness and uses social media to bypass journalistic scrutiny.
He has hailed military men in government, championed looser gun laws, and projects an image of an outsider combatting a corrupt and incompetent elite.
But the comparison with the US leader is not entirely accurate: Bolsonaro himself once served in the military as an army captain, is in fact a long-standing member of Brazil's congress, which he joined in 1991, and does not have the backing of a major party.
Still, his shoot-from-the-lip style, pledge to completely revamp Brazil's big economy, and polarizing effect on the electorate are what has grabbed much attention.
Statements pillorying gays, denigrating women (he once said of a female leftist deputy: "she doesn't deserve to be raped because she's very ugly"), dismissing Brazil's large poor black population and justifying the use of torture have sparked visceral opposition to his candidacy.
On September 6, he survived a knife attack while on the campaign trail, which police say was carried out by a man who acted alone and out of political motivation.
Yet investors have hopes that Bolsonaro, a Catholic father of five -- born from three relationships -- who has close links to influential evangelical churches, can hoist Brazil out of its economic malaise, lingering after its worst-ever recession.
- Fernando Haddad -
Bolsonaro's nearest rival is Fernando Haddad, whom the Workers' Party tapped to replace its preferred candidate Lula, who was disqualified from a comeback bid because he is serving a 12-year prison term for graft.
Channeling Lula's popularity, the 55-year-old Haddad climbed up the survey rankings into second place.
But the former mayor of Sao Paulo -- Brazil's biggest city -- and onetime education minister under Lula has since stalled and struggled to set himself apart.
Worse, he has to carry the baggage of his party's years in power that are blamed for Brazil's economic mess and much of the corruption.
It hasn't helped that Haddad, the son of a Lebanese immigrant, faced corruption accusations linked to his campaign during municipal elections in 2012.
- Ciro Gomes -
Some see Ciro Gomes, a center-leftist who has made two failed presidential attempts in the past, as someone capable of capturing the country's huge leftist vote.
Gomes, 60, is running with the Democratic Labor Party but has failed to garner coalition support from other leftist parties, leaving him somewhat isolated.
He is seen as a volatile politician with a history of lashing out in colorful language at everyone from Lula and outgoing President Michel Temer to the country's police.
He has also failed to attract many of Lula's supporters, leaving him a distant third behind Haddad.
One controversial figure looms over the pack of 13 candidates running for president in Brazil on Sunday: Jair Bolsonaro, an ultraconservative former military man promising a Donald Trump-like shake-up of Latin America’s biggest economy.
Voter surveys credit him with such a substantial lead that he is expected to be the favorite going into an October 28 run-off.
In that second round, he would likely face one of two trailing rivals: Fernando Haddad, a left-winger selected to replace jailed ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the Workers’ Party candidate, or a center-left politician ranked with only an outside chance, Ciro Gomes.
Here is a look at the three main candidates in the race:
– Jair Bolsonaro –
Like Trump, the 63-year-old Bolsonaro is fond of tough-guy talk, eschews political correctness and uses social media to bypass journalistic scrutiny.
He has hailed military men in government, championed looser gun laws, and projects an image of an outsider combatting a corrupt and incompetent elite.
But the comparison with the US leader is not entirely accurate: Bolsonaro himself once served in the military as an army captain, is in fact a long-standing member of Brazil’s congress, which he joined in 1991, and does not have the backing of a major party.
Still, his shoot-from-the-lip style, pledge to completely revamp Brazil’s big economy, and polarizing effect on the electorate are what has grabbed much attention.
Statements pillorying gays, denigrating women (he once said of a female leftist deputy: “she doesn’t deserve to be raped because she’s very ugly”), dismissing Brazil’s large poor black population and justifying the use of torture have sparked visceral opposition to his candidacy.
On September 6, he survived a knife attack while on the campaign trail, which police say was carried out by a man who acted alone and out of political motivation.
Yet investors have hopes that Bolsonaro, a Catholic father of five — born from three relationships — who has close links to influential evangelical churches, can hoist Brazil out of its economic malaise, lingering after its worst-ever recession.
– Fernando Haddad –
Bolsonaro’s nearest rival is Fernando Haddad, whom the Workers’ Party tapped to replace its preferred candidate Lula, who was disqualified from a comeback bid because he is serving a 12-year prison term for graft.
Channeling Lula’s popularity, the 55-year-old Haddad climbed up the survey rankings into second place.
But the former mayor of Sao Paulo — Brazil’s biggest city — and onetime education minister under Lula has since stalled and struggled to set himself apart.
Worse, he has to carry the baggage of his party’s years in power that are blamed for Brazil’s economic mess and much of the corruption.
It hasn’t helped that Haddad, the son of a Lebanese immigrant, faced corruption accusations linked to his campaign during municipal elections in 2012.
– Ciro Gomes –
Some see Ciro Gomes, a center-leftist who has made two failed presidential attempts in the past, as someone capable of capturing the country’s huge leftist vote.
Gomes, 60, is running with the Democratic Labor Party but has failed to garner coalition support from other leftist parties, leaving him somewhat isolated.
He is seen as a volatile politician with a history of lashing out in colorful language at everyone from Lula and outgoing President Michel Temer to the country’s police.
He has also failed to attract many of Lula’s supporters, leaving him a distant third behind Haddad.
