In the south-east, Brazil's most populous region, Lula benefited in the run-off after prominent centrist politicians pledged to support him. But he won largely due to votes from poor people concentrated in the north-east (see map on next page). Many have fond memories of social programs introduced by his government between 2003 and 2010. In the month before the run-off, Mr Bolsonaro ramped up spending on such voters, launching a new credit line and expanding a cash-transfer program that pays 600 real ($113) a month to 21m poor families. These schemes may have been undermined by news that Paulo Guedes, the economy minister, was working on a plan to "de-index" the minimum wage from inflation.In the months leading up to the election, which voters did Mr. Bolsonaro try to win over?

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