Brazil: Final TV face-off cancelled as Lula, Bolsonaro withdraw

With Brazilians set to vote on Sunday, President Lula da Silva and his main rival Flavio Bolsonaro are making their final push, as security concerns bring an unexpected twist to the campaign. The United States suspended consular services in Brazil over security concerns, while Australia also closed its embassy in Brasilia. Brazilian police searched sites over possible threats to US diplomatic facilities, but found no evidence to confirm the risks. The U.S. State Department has not detailed the threats or said when services will resume. U.S. President Donald Trump said he was very closely watching the election amid recent right-wing gains across Latin America. The development comes as Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro remain close in the polls ahead of Sunday's first-round vote. Lula, 80, is taking a fourth non-consecutive term as president, while 45-year-old Bolsonaro is making his first bid for the presidency. Lula took his final campaign push to Rio de Janeiro on Friday, traveling through the city with supporters and political allies. Thousands of people gathered along the route as Lula appealed to voters in one of Brazil's key electoral battlegrounds. Listen to this. Lula is an icon. You understand? Let's go. Best. There is no one better. He is a president of the world. You understand? Any country would want to have Lula as president. He is the president of the people who loves the people. I'm here because I defend our country. I defend our sovereignty. I defend that everyone has access to the same things, and Lula is the best option. So, I'm here to give all I have in support, my blood for Lula, because it's either Lula or Lula. Flavio Bolsonaro has closed his campaign with a large rally, making his final appeal to voters ahead of Sunday's first-round election. Supporters waved flags and banners as Bolsonaro campaigned on security, one of the key issues in the final stretch of the race. I will honor the trust of each of you, and I will run the most badass, greatest government in the history of this Brazil, because we will end this era of the PT so that we never again hear the word Lula, Lula thief. The two also skipped the final televised debate after both withdrew, instead holding separate online broadcasts. Well, the campaign has been marked by controversies, including false claims that Bolsonaro planned to change the status of Brazil's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida. The electoral court ordered the post to be removed. Voters, meanwhile, are focused on the cost of living, crime, and the economy. Lula has pointed to lower inflation and unemployment, while Bolsonaro has vowed to defeat him. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent on Sunday, well, a runoff will be held on 25th of October. Brazil's voters now have the final say in a race being watched closely at home and abroad.