Lula wins Brazil presidency by 4.4 million votes after chaotic runoff
The 81-year-old leader secured 51.8 percent of the vote despite a last-minute two-hour extension that triggered immediate challenges from Flávio Bolsonaro.
By Layla Fontaine ·
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a fourth term on Sunday with a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes. Brazil’s electoral court announced that Lula received 51.8 percent of the total count against opponent Flávio Bolsonaro. The result confirms his position as the country’s leader for another four-year term beginning January 5, 2027.
The path to this outcome was marked by procedural disruption. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled three minutes before the scheduled end of voting to keep polls open for two more hours. Lula requested the extension due to bus transportation issues in São Paulo and Salvador. Bolsonaro requested it due to heavy rains in the south of the country. The delay complicated the vote count and sparked debate among election officials at polling stations.
Flávio Bolsonaro has challenged the result. He stated that he wants the election annulled because of the late extension. Nikolas Ferreira, an ally of Bolsonaro, noted that Zanin is Lula’s former lawyer. In the first round of the election earlier this month, Bolsonaro had led Lula by more than 2.2 million votes. Sunday’s result marks the first time since the end of the military dictatorship in 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first round won the presidency.
Lula addressed supporters immediately after the certification. He expressed gratitude to the Brazilian people and pledged to respect all citizens regardless of gender or religion. He also criticized his opponent directly. "This was a defeat for denialism and lies. I must confess that every time I attended a debate, I felt embarrassed," he said. He reinforced his stance on national independence by stating, "This country will not accept being anyone's backyard."
Celebrations erupted across major cities. In São Paulo, hundreds of supporters gathered on the main artery. Lula was seen wearing star-shaped red glasses and kissing his wife, Rosângela Lula da Silva, in a video released by his campaign. In Rio de Janeiro, drivers honked their horns and crowds cheered as the result was confirmed. A woman dressed in red, the color of Lula supporters, was heard shouting at men wearing the yellow and green colors associated with Bolsonaro.
The victory positions Brazil’s economy to remain independent of the United States despite increased tariffs. Brazil has a gross domestic product of 2.6 trillion US dollars per year. The win also bucks a regional trend where right-of-centre candidates allied with U.S. President Donald Trump have been gaining power. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, joins U.S. President Trump and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega as the oldest leaders in the Americas at age 80.
Voters focused on cost of living and security during the campaign. Bolsonaro promoted a tough-on-crime platform and pledged to lower food costs. Lula invested in incentives to attract undecided voters. Both candidates faced suspicions of corruption involving family members and allies. Bolsonaro is implicated in a sprawling scandal currently rocking Brazil, while Lula previously served more than a year in prison on convictions that were later annulled. Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old Bolsonaro supporter, said the country is collapsing and that another Lula government would harm the economy.
