When nearly 2.5 million people converged on Sao Paulo this year for the world’s biggest gay pride parade, the celebration emphatically reminded Brazil’s presidential candidates of the growing political clout of the gay community. Though it is the world’s largest Catholic country, Brazil is increasingly tolerant of homosexuality and has long been one of the most sexually liberal nations in Latin America. In Sunday’s presidential run-off, even the conservative candidate, former Sao Paulo state Gov. Geraldo Alckmin, supports a stalled bill in Congress that would legalize gay civil unions. That has won him points with gays who attended the parade, but most support President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.