Brazil’s incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won fourth term in a surprise election victory with 51.8 percent of the total vote.
Lula defeated Flávio Bolsonaro, who is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula previously defeated in 2022.
Bolsonaro refused to accept the defeat while asking for the results to be annulled on the grounds of Sunday ruling from a Supreme Court justice that extended voting for two hours. He also pointed to polling disruption and chaos caused by a last-minute two-hour extension.
As a result of the election, Lula, the left wing, secured a victory margin of 4.4 million votes over his rival with 100 percent of the votes counted. With this achievement, the 80-year-old became the first candidate in post-1980s Brazilian democratic history to win the presidency, placing second in the first round.
Analysts note that an annulment is unlikely despite Flávio’s campaign requesting an extension due to rains in the south.
Fernando Neisser, an electoral law expert at the Institute of Lawyers of São Paulo (Iasp), said that it would be “difficult from a legal standpoint”
According to another electoral law expert Alberto Rollo, “We can’t change the constitution. We can’t say ‘it didn’t count, we’ll do it next week, or on 15 November, or 30 November’.”
Lula’s victory highlights a check on growing US influence and the reach of President Donald Trump in Latin America, given Lula’s vocal criticism of Trump.
Currently serving his fourth non-consecutive term as president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva built his 2022 victory on strong youth and environmental support.
In his victory speech, he praised the young voters who rallied in the streets to defend democracy, while supporters dubbed him the “saviour of the Amazon” for his strong commitment to protecting the rainforest.
He previously served from 2003 to 2010 before taking office again in January 2023.
