Brazil election: Candidates are familiar, citizens have changed

This year’s election season in Brazil has been marked by a series of small but exceptional events that go a long way in explaining the divisions heaving Brazil as it heads to the polls Sunday. The ballot pits far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, who has been described as the Trump of South America, against leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was a darling of Latin America progressives before he served jail time.

This month alone, a left-wing candidate for Congress canvassing for votes was threatened by an armed man with opposing political views; some 10 pollsters across eight states were followed and harassed after inquiring about voter intentions; and a state deputy from Mr. Bolsonaro’s ruling party physically harassed a well-known journalist and proudly published the video on social media.