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Monday October 1st at 19:30 GMT:
Brazil goes to the polls on October 7 to vote in the first round of general elections that sparked a polarizing debate in the streets and online. Brazilians will vote for more than 1,600 positions, including the presidency. It is also the first election since the impeachment in 2016 of former President Dilma Rousseff. Voting is required by law, but a high rate of abstention is still expected.
According to polls released by Ibope on Wednesday, the two main candidates are Jair Bolsonaro of the Social Liberal Party (PSL) and Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party (PT).
The former evangelical captain Bolsonaro – a far right nationalist – is the first favorite. He campaigned on promises that include a crackdown on crime and corruption. However, he was criticized for his misogynistic comments against women, blacks and the LGBTQ community. He has also proved to be a very controversial candidate, with millions of people mobilizing under #EleNaoor not him #Not him hastags online. He was even stabbed at a campaign rally on 9 September. On Saturday, thousands of people are expected to demonstrate in front of the opposition in Bolsonaro. His supporters plan counter-demonstrations Sunday.
His main rival, Haddad, comes from the same party as former imprisoned president Lula de Silva. He is the former Minister of Education and Mayor of Sao Paulo. Under his stewardship as Minister of Education, spaces reserved for low-income students have been significantly expanded, although he is still widely seen as a symbol of the institution.
The debate has been intense online and WhatsApp has been a major tool. The messaging application is used by more than 210% of the Brazilian population, which has 210 million inhabitants. False virus information and misinformation spread like wildfire during the campaign. In an effort to fight stories, 24 media organizations have joined forces under the name of Comprova or Prove It to investigate stories that become viral.
On Monday, we will talk to Brazilian journalists and explain to them how they cover the candidates, the promises of the campaign and what headlines have been so far. Join the conversation.
Read more:
Elections in Brazil: a tight and turbulent race – Al Jazeera
Brazilian election campaign on WhatsApp – Christian Science Monitor
What do you think? Record a video comment or leave your comments in the comments below.
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