04 Oct 2024 | 02:10 PM UTC
Brazil: Heightened security, rallies likely due to local elections on Oct. 6
Heightened security and rallies are likely in Brazil due to local elections on Oct. 6. Second round possible in large cities Oct. 27.
Authorities will likely deploy heightened security nationwide before and during the Oct. 6 local elections, including at any campaign events and election-related facilities. Rallies at campaign headquarters and major central squares are likely following the publication of the election results. There will be no local election in the capital, Brasilia, and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha in the Atlantic Ocean.
Security measures on election day will likely prompt road closures, particularly near polling stations, and may disrupt travel and business operations. Individuals may not carry weapons Oct. 5-7. Clashes between supporters of rival political groups remain possible before, during, and after the vote, particularly in major cities with contentious elections, including Sao Paulo. Similar security measures, gatherings, and potential for clashes exist after the poll and ahead of any potential run-off elections scheduled for Oct. 27.
Exercise caution in the lead-up to and during voting, particularly near large gatherings and in the proximity of polling stations. Make allowances for possible localized transport disruptions near said stations. Avoid demonstrations as a precaution. Heed the instructions of security personnel.
More than 153 million people are registered to vote to select mayors in 5,569 cities nationwide. In cities with 200,000 or more voters, if no candidate obtains 50 percent of the vote, there will be a runoff election on Oct. 27, with the two most-voted candidates in the first round.
The elections will measure the popularity of incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, his Worker's Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores, PT), and the left-wing and center-left organizations that support his administration. They will also test the influence still maintained by former President Jair Bolsonaro.
