Picanha, prices and politics: What Brazil's favorite steak says about the election

A street vendor sells campaign flags of presidential candidates Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who is running for reelection in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Eraldo Peres/AP hide caption toggle caption Eraldo Peres/AP RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil—As Brazilians prepare to vote in the first round of the presidential election Sunday, they're weighing sharp differences between the top candidates on security, foreign policy, and the environment. But they're also thinking about kitchen table issues. And if you really want to know how Brazilians feel about the economy, look no further than how often picanha, the country's prized cut of beef, is on the table. When left-wing president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was campaigning for his current role four years ago, he told voters they would be able to afford picanha again if he were elected. At the time, Brazil's economy was still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Picanha, or a top sirloin cap steak, is a marker of prosperity in this beef-loving country. Lula is now running for reelection in what polls suggest is a tight race with Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right President Jair Bo...