New Delhi, Oct 26: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office, defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested presidential run-off, the BBC reported. With 98.87% of ballot boxes counted, Brazil’s electoral court declared Lula mathematically elected, with the incumbent securing 51.79% of the vote against Bolsonaro’s 48.21%.
Addressing cheering supporters in São Paulo, the 80-year-old leader said Brazilians had voted to “guarantee democracy”. He thanked young voters, women, teachers and workers for supporting his campaign, which gained momentum in the final weeks of the election.
“Long live democracy,” Lula said after the national anthem was played. He also pledged that his fourth term, which will run until 2030, would be the best in Brazil’s history, promising to listen more closely to the people.
According to the BBC, the result marked a significant turnaround, as Lula recovered from a defeat in the first round to win the run-off. His campaign had focused on increasing voter turnout after around 33 million people did not vote in the first round.
The election witnessed high participation, with thousands of Lula supporters taking to the streets of São Paulo and other major cities to celebrate his victory.
The voting process, however, was marked by controversy. Lula’s campaign alleged voter suppression because of a shortage of buses that reportedly prevented some voters from reaching polling stations. Bolsonaro’s campaign sought an extension of voting hours because of adverse weather conditions in southern Brazil. The Supreme Court eventually extended voting by two hours.
Flávio Bolsonaro, who had won the first round, described the result as “inexplicable” and called for it to be annulled, the BBC reported. His father, former president Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a sentence under house arrest following his conviction over an attempt to overturn the 2022 election result, which Lula had won.
