Lula wins Brazil presidency as polls close late
The 81-year-old leader secured 51.8 percent of the vote after a Supreme Court justice ordered a two-hour extension to voting, a move that has already sparked challenges from his opponent.
By Giulia Marshall ·
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the Brazilian presidential election on Sunday with 51.8 percent of the vote, securing a non-consecutive fourth term. The electoral court confirmed a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes over his opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, defeated a rival who had trailed by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round earlier this month. This marks the first time since 1985 that the second-place finisher from the first round won the final contest.
The victory came after a chaotic closing of the polls. Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled three minutes before the scheduled end of voting to keep stations open for two additional hours. Both candidates requested the extension. Lula cited transportation issues in São Paulo and Salvador, while Bolsonaro pointed to heavy rains in the south, a region where he holds support. The decision delayed the tallying of results by two hours and left uncertainty about how many stations remained open after the initial closing time.
Flávio Bolsonaro announced his intention to seek annulment of the election, citing the late extension. He noted that Zanin, who made the ruling, had previously served as Lula's lawyer. In Rio de Janeiro, some voting machines had already been switched off when the extension was announced and could not be restarted. In Brasília, volunteers at a school debated whether to stay, with most departing 15 to 20 minutes after the scheduled close once they had passed count information to authorities.
Lula addressed supporters after the court's announcement, expressing gratitude and pledging to respect all Brazilians regardless of gender or religion. He criticized his opponent, stating, "This was a defeat for denialism and lies. I must confess that every time I attended a debate, I felt embarrassed." He reinforced his stance on national independence, saying, "Either the homeland remains free or we die for Brazil. This country will not accept being anyone's backyard."
Celebrations broke out across the country. In São Paulo, hundreds of supporters gathered on the city's main artery. A video from the campaign showed Lula, wearing red star-shaped glasses, kissing his wife, Rosângela Lula da Silva. In Rio, cars honked and a woman in red shouted at men in yellow and green, Bolsonaro's colors. Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and Bolsonaro supporter, said the result would harm the economy, noting that financial markets had reacted positively to Bolsonaro's first-round lead.
The election outcome maintains a degree of independence between Washington and Latin America's largest economy, which has a GDP of 2.6 trillion U.S. dollars per year. Trump's increased tariffs have pressured the region, but Lula's win leaves both Brazil and Mexico under left-of-center leadership. The next term begins on January 5, 2027.
Lula’s campaign reorganized after losing the first round, appealing to younger voters and emphasizing democratic values. Both candidates have faced corruption suspicions involving family members and allies. Lula previously served more than a year in prison on convictions that were later annulled. He joins Donald Trump and Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua as the oldest presidents in the Americas, all aged 80.
