Portugal Runoff Points to Seguro Landslide as Brazil's Pre‑Carnival Draws Huge Crowds Under Tight Security

Overview

• With roughly 70% of ballots counted, preliminary results reported by Reuters show António José Seguro at 64% to André Ventura’s 36%, aligning with exit polls that put Seguro near 67%–73%.
• This was Portugal’s first presidential second round in four decades, for a post that is mostly ceremonial but includes powers to name the prime minister, veto laws and dissolve parliament.
• Severe storms and floods disrupted the campaign and logistics, prompting weeklong postponements in multiple municipalities and leaving dozens of thousands unable to vote on the day.
• In São Paulo, Ivete Sangalo’s megabloco drew an estimated 1.2 million people and was halted for about 50 minutes due to overcrowding before resuming.
• Municipal authorities deployed 23 drones with facial‑recognition capability, a vast camera network and tens of thousands of security personnel, as plainclothes officers reported arrests for cellphone theft and drink adulteration.