Lula Claims Historic Fourth Term in Brazil After Runoff Win
The 80-year-old president defeated Flavio Bolsonaro by more than 4 million votes, a first in the country's modern history.
By Priya Shah ·
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won his fourth presidential term in Brazil on Sunday.
The Superior Electoral Court declared the incumbent the victor shortly after 9 p.m. in Brasilia. At that time, Lula had secured over 64 million votes, representing more than 51 percent of the total. His opponent, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, collected more than 59 million votes, or 48 percent. The margin between the two candidates exceeded 4 million ballots.
Lula, 80, becomes the first politician in modern Brazilian history to win a runoff after losing the first round. He is scheduled to take office on January 5, 2027. This date will make him the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy. During a post-election speech, Lula spoke with a hoarse voice and coughed while thanking supporters. He acknowledged the difficulty of working with the current legislature. “I do not choose the Congress,” Lula said. “It was the people who chose it, and it is with them that I will vote, work and get things approved.”
Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the defeat immediately after the results were announced. He stated that he would seek to annul the outcome. The challenge targets a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two. Both campaigns had requested this additional time. Polling stations across the country remained open until 7 p.m. Bolsonaro accused the court of altering rules during the election. He said he could not accept the result because of these changes.
The voting extension followed reports of disruption and voter suppression. Some public transport services were suspended, leading Lula’s allies to claim that Bolsonaro supporters cut bus services to discourage working-class voters. Heavy rain also affected southern regions that typically support the right wing. Lula had trailed Bolsonaro in the October 4 first round, receiving 45 percent of the vote compared to Bolsonaro’s 47 percent. Since then, Lula focused on living costs and passed a constitutional amendment to shorten the workweek. He also raised the possibility of free weekend public transport and banned online gambling apps in September.
The victory halts a recent trend of right-wing gains in the region. Presidents in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador have seen similar political shifts. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula on his win. US Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election extraordinary. Relations with Washington remain tense. The Trump administration supported the Bolsonaro family and imposed 50 percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year. This move aimed to stop the prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio’s father. Jair Bolsonaro received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing to Lula in 2022. Donald Trump Jr. criticized the voting extension on social media. US Representative Ro Khanna urged the president to respect the outcome.
Source: Al Jazeera
