Brazilians go to the polls with "concern" in front of a "crossroads"

"Never before had I seen that degree of hatred and violence, apart from what I read in the history books, that hatred is affecting the mental health of people, there are many anguished, anxious people, families in conflict," the psychiatrist reports. Carlos Bustamante.

Bustamente voted in that second round in Haddad, standard-bearer of the Workers' Party (PT), although in the first round, held on the 7th, he deposited his vote for Labor Ciro Gomes.

"At that time, Haddad represents the hope of maintaining a democracy, a dialogue, while Bolsonaro is the personification of hatred and fear, it is a symptom of a sick society," says the psychiatrist at the electoral college where the candidate voted today. progressive.

Brazil "is at a crossroads," Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's successor said today after casting his vote on Sunday.

In front of his electoral college, located in a noble area of ​​Sao Paulo, dozens of supporters of the PT expressed their support for the candidate, with roses and books to "confront the weapons defended by Bolsonaro."

Lawyer Ana Luiza Leão crossed the world to "fight for democracy", since she has lived in Australia for four years. In his opinion, Brazilian institutions are "threatened" and hatred "took account of the country".

"I had to come, all institutions are at risk, there is a clear growth of fascism and a hatred of everything and everyone, women, gays, indigenous people, poor people," says Leão.

The normally quiet street of the Moema neighborhood, where the Brazilian International School is located, became a tumultuous scene for a couple of hours. Some residents went to the windows and balconies of the adjoining buildings and rang the pots in protest to the cries of "the present people, Haddad President".

Housewife Rita de Cassia agrees that "intolerance is general", but in her opinion "lack of respect" emanates above all "from the PT". Thus, his vote in the ballot box was in Bolsonaro.

De Cassia points out that the right-wing's victory would represent "the end of a PT dictatorship" and believes that the denunciations against his candidate "were all invented by the bought press," since "there is nothing that can be said against Bolsonaro."

"The press is being attacked by the voters of Bolsonaro because it only publishes lies and we're fed up, nobody can stand it anymore," he explains.

De Cassia refuted the criticisms of some international organizations against Bolsonaro and said that those who do "are not references to talk about anyone's country."

"I travel abroad three times a year, I have the property to speak," says De Cassia, who underscored the lack of "laws" currently in Brazil.

In the same vein, José Carlos Fernandes, a worker of the industrial sector of 64 years, has voted in Bolsonaro both in the first and in the second round because he thought the candidate "more honest".

"Those of PT are all corrupt and thieves, I believe that he (Bolsonaro) has everything to make a good government, since he is not corrupt, he is authoritarian, but not corrupt," Fernandes stresses, who arrived at the first hour to vote in one of the busiest polling stations in the capital of São Paulo, located in the popular neighborhood of Mooca.

Despite the divergences, the bank Silvia Carvalho de Souza sums up the mutual feeling shared by both Bolsonaro and Haddad supporters that Brazil's next ruler will have to deal with a "fragmented" and "unsatisfied" society.

"The governance of whoever is elected will have many challenges and many edges to cut, because it is a fragile moment in the country," he says.