Senator Flavio Bolsonaro held the lead over Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Sunday's presidential election, but preliminary results pointed toward a second round of voting.
With more than 97% of ballots counted, Bolsonaro, 45, had secured 48.45% of the vote, compared with 44.66% for Lula, 80, who is seeking a fourth term.
A candidate must win more than 50% to secure the presidency in the first round. Pollster Datafolha projected that the contest would proceed to a runoff, expected to take place on October 25, with pre-election surveys showing the two candidates running neck and neck.
Earlier polls had given Lula an approximately three-point advantage in the first round. Results from southern states that support the Bolsonaro movement were reported more quickly than those from Lula's stronghold in the northeast, according to Reuters.
Despite surveys published as late as Saturday suggesting Lula would finish first without winning outright, Bolsonaro - the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, expressed confidence that he could secure victory immediately, pointing to public dissatisfaction with his rival.
Like his father, Flavio Bolsonaro has made support for Israel a prominent part of his public profile. During a January visit to Israel, he visited the Western Wall and locations in the country's biblical heartland, and pledged to transfer Brazil's embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem if elected.
“It is an honor to defend Judeo-Christian values and to show the Jewish people that the Brazilian people support them," he said at the time.
The elder Bolsonaro was also a strong supporter of Israel and visited the country in March 2019. His sons have also previously been seen wearing shirts associated with the IDF and Mossad, while Israeli flags have frequently appeared at his political rallies.
Lula, meanwhile, has drawn sharp criticism for his statements against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. He compared Israel's actions to Adolf Hitler's treatment of Jews during World War II, prompting a diplomatic dispute in which Brazil announced the recall of its ambassador to Israel and the summoning of Israel's ambassador for a reprimand.
Despite the public backlash, Lula reaffirmed his position on social media, writing, “What the Israeli government is doing is not war, it is genocide. Children and women are being murdered."