By Isabel Teles and Luciana Magalhaes
SAO PAULO, Oct 11 (Reuters) – With Brazil’s polarized presidential election entering its final stretch, candidates rallied supporters and politicians on Sunday in Sao Paulo, the nation’s largest state capital, ahead of the October 25 runoff.
Conservative Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who led the first round on October 4 with 47% of the vote, met with reelected Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas. Building on his early post-election momentum, Bolsonaro focused his Sunday campaign efforts on securing political backing by meeting with mayors and city councilors.
“I want to be very close to each one of you, mayors. This is how we are going to build a truly better Brazil, because federal resources will reach the ground level,” the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro said, promising that municipalities would receive more funding to combat crime if he is elected.
Meanwhile, incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who trailed by two percentage points in the initial vote, headlined a major rally on Avenida Paulista. Speaking to reporters before taking the stage, the leftist leader promised to redouble efforts on public safety, a top worry for voters.
“For the working people, for the community, for the territory, protection; for criminals, prison,” Lula said, adding that if reelected, he wants to overhaul the national approach to crime with direct federal government involvement.
From atop a sound truck, the president urged young voters, who made up a large portion of the crowd, to turn out, while also appealing to older citizens, for whom voting is optional after age 70.
Retired Petrobras employee Carlos Teobaldo da Silva, 79, who rose through the ranks from bricklayer to maintenance supervisor, wore his orange company uniform to the rally. He said he felt compelled to vote for Lula, even though voting is optional at his age.
“I believe in a turnaround, and I will keep fighting for Lula’s reelection and his projects,” Silva said.
(Reporting by Isabel Teles and Luciana Magalhaes; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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