Thousands march in Rio against Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of Brazil's October 25 runoff

Thousands of people joined a student-led march in downtown Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, 7 October 2026. They protested against presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro and the prospect of him winning the presidency.

Flavio Bolsonaro received the most votes in the first round of Brazil's presidential election on Sunday. He finished about 2 million votes ahead of incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Neither candidate reached the 50% needed to win outright. The two will meet in a runoff on 25 October 2026. According to Al Jazeera, Flavio Bolsonaro won 47% of the vote and Lula 45%. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not cite official results from Brazil's electoral authority.

Flavio Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The elder Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence for plotting to overturn his 2022 election defeat.

Marchers carried signs reading "Never again Bolsonaro" and "Brazil isn't anyone's backyard". At least one placard read "No to the father, no to the son". The march featured drums, fireworks and chants. Demonstrators called for votes for Lula. Some raised concerns about Flavio Bolsonaro's support for amnesty for his father. Others referred to Jair Bolsonaro's government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. About 700,000 people died of Covid-19 in Brazil.

According to The Hindu, many protesters referred to an investigation into Flavio Bolsonaro for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion over his ties to the failed Banco Master. The reports do not include his response to the investigation.

The reports do not include a crowd estimate beyond "thousands". They do not name the organizers and do not describe any incidents or counter-protests. Much of the on-the-ground reporting traces to two news agencies, AFP and AP.

What is disputed

The third-, fourth- and fifth-placed candidates are all on the political right. DW puts their combined vote at over eight million. The Hindu puts it at 6 million. DW and France 24 describe Flavio Bolsonaro as the favorite. The Hindu calls the runoff unpredictable. None of these reports cite polling.

What each side says

Protesters quoted by DW and The Hindu fear that a Flavio Bolsonaro presidency would align Brazil's government with the United States. France 24 quoted Alice Carneiro, 25, as saying: "I'm here because I believe in democracy. Because I'm scared." DW quoted Talita Amaral, 19, an environmental science student, as saying: "We're fighting for Brazil, not for Lula."

According to France 24, Flavio Bolsonaro has vowed sweeping budget cuts and has praised Argentine President Javier Milei's economic reforms. He plans to shrink the state and modernize the tax system. The reports do not include any response from him or his campaign to the march.

Lula's campaign has shifted its focus toward social media. According to France 24, Lula urged supporters in a video posted to Instagram and TikTok: "Come on, folks, let's hit the streets; let's go talk to people."

Analysis

The march shows that some voters, many of them young, are mobilizing before the runoff. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not show whether this will change the result. Flavio Bolsonaro starts with a first-round lead. Other right-wing candidates also drew millions of votes, though the reports give different totals. That could favor him if those voters move his way. Lula's shift to social media and street outreach suggests his campaign wants to close the gap. Its effect is uncertain. Without cited polling, both a narrow outcome and a clearer margin remain possible. Voters will decide on 25 October 2026.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.