FERREIRA AND PAVANATO BECOME BRAZIL'S MOST-VOTED DEPUTIES

Social media influencers Nikolas Ferreira and Lucas Pavanato, both aligned with the political movement associated with former President Jair Bolsonaro, became Brazil's two most-voted Chamber of Deputies candidates in history, according to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court. Ferreira won re-election with 3.1 million votes, the most of any federal deputy candidate nationwide, while Pavanato finished second with just over 3 million votes. Erika Hilton, a left-wing activist and transgender politician, became the most-voted woman in the chamber's history, according to Agência Brasil. The results came alongside the first round of Brazil's presidential election, in which Senator Flávio Bolsonaro finished ahead of incumbent President Lula da Silva, setting up an October 25 runoff.

Ferreira, a lawyer and son of an evangelical pastor, built a following of more than 22 million people on social media before entering Belo Horizonte's city council in 2020. His political agenda has centred on opposition to left-wing governments and what he calls "gender ideology", including legislation to ban gender-neutral language in schools. Pavanato, from the same party, built his profile as a pro-Bolsonaro content creator. Hilton is a prominent transgender activist. Reporting on the presidential race has also raised concerns about US interference, noting Donald Trump's ties to Jair Bolsonaro and his opposition to Lula da Silva.

The results suggest growing congressional support for Flávio Bolsonaro's presidential campaign, according to the electoral court's figures. Lula da Silva is seeking a fourth term, while Bolsonaro, a sitting senator, is his challenger. The two face each other in a runoff on October 25. Coverage of the race has described a divide among voters, with some reported as unenthusiastic about either candidate.