Three months to the day before the Brazilian presidential election, the two favorites, ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and current head of state Jair Bolsonaro, campaigned on Saturday in Salvador de Bahia (northeast).
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Lula and Bolsonaro offered crowd baths in two different places, 10km from each other, with a strong security device.
The far-right president had made an appointment with his supporters at the Barra beach lighthouse, the starting point of a procession of dozens of motorcycles for about two kilometers along the coast, in the south of the city.
“
What is at stake (during the October ballot) is our well-being and our freedom
,” chanted Mr. Bolsonaro, mounted on a platform to harangue the crowd before getting on a two-wheeler.
Former President of Brazil (2003-2010) Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (center) during a rally with supporters in Salvador, Bahia state, Brazil, July 2, 2022. RAFAELA ARAUJO / AFP
"
We will overcome together (...) and paint the streets of our dear city of Salvador green and yellow
," added the former army captain, cheered by hundreds of people dressed mostly in yellow jerseys. of the Brazilian national football team.
At the same time, Lula was at Largo da Lapinha, 10 km further north, where a procession (on foot, not on motorbikes) was taking place to celebrate the anniversary of the independence of the State of Bahia.
The last soldiers of the Portuguese colonizer were expelled from Salvador on July 2, 1823, just under a year after Brazil declared independence.
The left-wing ex-president (2003-2010) took part in the procession in the middle of a compact crowd dressed in red who sang “
olé, olé olé, Lula, Lula!
as he passed.
“
I am very happy with the return of Lula (in politics), because with him, our hope is back.
Today is a first step towards victory, so that Brazil can finally be reborn
,” Viviane Correa, who was waiting for her favorite candidate in the parking lot of the Fonte Nova stadium, told AFP, where he is to deliver a speech. in the afternoon.
According to the latest poll by the benchmark institute Datafolha, published last week, Lula was credited with 47% of voting intentions, against 28% for Bolsonaro.
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Two other candidates were also present on Saturday morning for Bahia's independence festivities in Salvador, Ciro Gomes (center-left), ranked third in the Datafolha poll (8%) and Senator Simone Tebet (center-right, 1% ).
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