Brazil's Lula, Bolsonaro's son in close presidential race | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

The presidential election race in Brazil between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro is expected to be close on Sunday.

The first round of the election is set to begin on Sunday morning. Lula's current term will end in the near future.

Thirteen candidates are vying for the presidency.

An opinion poll released on Thursday shows that 42 percent of the respondents support Lula, while 38 percent are in favor of the right-winger Flavio Bolsonaro.

Lula supports correcting wage gaps and maintaining national sovereignty without allowing superpowers to interfere in internal Brazilian affairs.

Flavio Bolsonaro is pushing for tax cuts and stronger security measures. He wants Brazil to get in step with US President Donald Trump's administration, which has been asking the country to step up bilateral cooperation in the fight against illegal drugs.

Right-wingers, who have won presidential elections in Colombia and Peru, are deepening relations with the United States as the Trump administration prioritizes the Western Hemisphere.

If a right-wing candidate wins the presidential race in Brazil, the victory may help the Trump administration expand its influence in South America.

Vote-counting is scheduled to begin immediately after the polls close on Sunday evening. If no candidate gains a majority of votes in the first round, a runoff election between the top two finishers will be held on October 25.