What to know about Brazil's election pitting Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro

The two candidates leading in the polls are Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro

Brazilians have begun voting in a general election in which the two front-runners for the presidency bear very familiar names.

In the last election four years ago, Lula narrowly defeated Flávio Bolsonaro's father Jair, but the tumultuous aftermath of the election, which saw Jair Bolsonaro convicted of plotting a coup after thousands of his supporters stormed the Brazilian Congress, has had a lasting impact on the nation's political life and this election.

At the launch of his campaign, Flávio Bolsonaro screened a video in which an AI-generated image of his father endorsed his candidacy

Jair Bolsonaro, the right-wing former army captain who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2023, will not be running for president in this election.

Due to recurrent health problems, he is currently under house arrest rather than in a cell, but he has had restrictions imposed on him prohibiting him from posting on social media or making public statements.

At the event where Flávio Bolsonaro officially launched his presidential campaign, an AI-generated avatar of Jair Bolsonaro endorsed his son's candidacy.

While there are 12 candidates running for the presidency, there are only two who have reached double figures in the opinion polls, and they are Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro.

The opinion polls suggest a run-off is highly likely - but with a relatively high number of voters still undecided just days before the election, an outright win cannot be entirely ruled out.

Brazilians who are 16 years of age or older are entitled to vote and it is compulsory for those aged between 18 and 70 who are literate, with a fine imposed on those who do not cast a ballot.

In his speech to the United Nations General Assembly, Lula stressed his country's sovereignty

Lula, the 80-year-old candidate for the left-wing Workers' Party, has been president three times already.