‘We want no more hatred’: leftwing ex-president Lula on verge of comeback in Brazil

Polls suggest Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is close to majority of votes needed to stop election run-off against Jair Bolsonaro

Brazil's leftwing former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva appeared on the verge of a startling political comeback on Sunday as more than 156 million Brazilians took part in the country's most important election in decades.

As the veteran ex-president cast his vote in Brazil's industrial heartlands on Sunday morning, Lula voiced optimism he was heading for victory over the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.