Brazil's Lula, Flavio Bolsonaro wrap up campaigns ahead of first-round vote

By Lisandra Paraguassu and Sebastian Rocandio SAO PAULO/SANTA BARBARA D'OESTE, Brazil, ​Oct 3 (Reuters) - B razilian President Luiz Inacio ​Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio ‌Bolsonaro ​wrapped up their campaigns on Saturday ahead of Sunday's first-round presidential election, each expressing confidence of victory despite polls pointing to a likely ‌runoff.

Lula ended his re-election campaign with a march through Sao Paulo that drew large crowds of supporters, while Bolsonaro took part in a motorcycle caravan through Santa Barbara d'Oeste and Americana in Sao Paulo state ‌and later rallied in Rio de Janeiro. Lula's camp hailed the event as a record turnout, larger than ‌the closing rally of his 2022 campaign.

Organizers said some 150,000 supporters filled the two-kilometer stretch of Augusta Street between Paulista Avenue and Roosevelt Square, a traditional stage for political demonstrations in Brazil's largest city. Speaking from a campaign vehicle, Lula ⁠called Sunday's election ​a choice between "democracy and ⁠barbarism."

The head of the leftist leader's Workers' Party, Edinho Silva, said the turnout reflected growing momentum for Lula. "Unlike other ⁠Latin American countries, where we saw a right-wing wave at the end, here in Brazil we're seeing a ​wave in our favor," Silva said.

Right-wing Senator Bolsonaro urged supporters to turn out to vote and predicted ⁠a first-round win. "I am convinced that everything is in place for us to win this election in the first ⁠round," ​the lawmaker said.

Flavio was photographed holding a placard bearing the image of his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is under house arrest after being convicted of attempting to overturn the 2022 ⁠election result, which he lost to Lula. If no candidate wins more than 50% of valid votes -- ⁠which exclude blank and null ⁠ballots -- in Sunday's first-round vote, the two frontrunners advance to a second-round runoff on October 25.