Brazil election: Left-wing President Lula scores surprise victory over Flávio Bolsonaro

BRAZIL’S PRESIDENT LUIZ Inacio Lula da Silva, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, has been re-elected in a result that provides relief to critics of widening US influence in Latin America.

With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court announced that the soon-to-be 81-year-old Mr Lula had a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes – 51.8% of the total vote – over opponent Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours.

Late on Sunday local time, Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat, calling the move to extend voting hours unprecedented – though both he and Lula made the request – and asked for the election results to be annulled, saying they were impossible to accept.

Lula’s triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-centre presidential candidates allied with Mr Trump have been winning.

Lula’s victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America’s two most populous nations, with left-of-centre leaders.

It also positions Latin America’s largest economy, with a GDP of 2.6 trillion dollars per year, to remain independent of the US, despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Trump.

A video published by Lula’s campaign shows the veteran leader celebrating with First Lady Rosangela da Silva and allies after his run-off victory was confirmed by Brazil’s electoral court.

Wearing star-shaped red glasses, he kissed his wife. Hundreds of his supporters began gathering on Sao Paulo’s main artery to celebrate the victory.

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In Rio de Janeiro, cars beeped their horns and a woman dressed in red — the colour of Lula supporters — shouted “You lost! Cry harder!” to four men in yellow and green sipping beers, Bolsonaro’s signature colours.

A huge roar echoed in the street as the result was confirmed.

Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and supporter of Bolsonaro, said that another Lula government would harm the economy.

He pointed to financial markets’ positive reaction to the result of the first round, when Bolsonaro bested Lula.

“I don’t understand how people can vote for Lula,” he said.

“The country is collapsing.”

Lula’s victory, if confirmed by electoral authorities, will give him his non-consecutive fourth term as president.

The next term begins on January 5 2027.

It is the first time since Brazil’s military dictatorship ended in 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first-round elections won the presidency.

Bolsonaro had 47% of the vote in the first round to Lula’s 45%, a difference of 2.2 million votes.

Lula and Bolsonaro have yet to address their supporters.