Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has promised to boost spending on the poor, is slightly ahead of his rival in recent polls. SÃO PAULO—If Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wins Brazil’s election this weekend, it would mark a major political comeback for the ex-president, who was convicted five years ago on money-laundering and corruption charges, signaling that voters are focused mainly on economic issues. Sunday’s vote pits Mr. da Silva, a longtime standard-bearer for the Brazilian left whose criminal convictions were later annulled, against conservative President Jair Bolsonaro in a campaign that has focused on rising unemployment, mounting inflation and pandemic policies. Recent opinion polls show Mr. da Silva, who has promised to boost spending on the poor, ahead by about 5 percentage points.

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