Brazil: long queues and river journeys mark decisive presidential vote
Video. Brazilians headed to the polls on Sunday to choose between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro. From canoe journeys in the Amazon to long queues in Rio and a Lula doll in Brasília, voters turned out for the presidential runoff.
Updated: 25/10/2026 - 18:49 GMT+1
Brazilians headed to the polls on Sunday to choose between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro. From canoe journeys in the Amazon to long queues in Rio and a Lula doll in Brasília, voters turned out for the presidential runoff.
Across Brazil, voters made their way to polling stations on Sunday 25 October as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faced Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a runoff election.
In the Amazon rainforest, residents of the isolated Lago do Catalão community travelled by canoe and motorboat to cast their ballots, relying on waterways to access polling facilities.
In Rio de Janeiro's Rocinha favela, long queues formed as residents waited to vote, reflecting the deep divisions surrounding the election.
In Brasília, voters showed passionate support for both candidates, highlighting the stark choices facing the electorate.
The official result is expected tonight between 23:30–00:00 CET (around 20:30–21:00 Brasília time).
