Lula wins Brazil runoff in fourth term

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured a fourth term in office on Sunday after the Superior Electoral Court declared him the winner of the Brazilian runoff. The incumbent, who had trailed in the first round, accumulated more than 64 million ballots, representing just over 51 percent of the total vote. His opponent, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received more than 59 million votes, or 48 percent of the total. The margin of victory exceeded four million votes.

Lula, 80, is scheduled to be sworn in on January 5, 2027. This victory makes him the oldest president to take office since Brazil returned to democracy. He is also the first leader in modern Brazilian history to win a runoff election after finishing second in the initial round.

At a podium decorated with national flags, Lula spoke in a hoarse voice while coughing. He thanked voters for defending democracy and acknowledged the difficulty of working with the current legislature. He noted that he did not choose the Congress, but rather the people did, and he would work with that body to pass legislation.

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the race. He announced plans to seek an annulment of the outcome, citing a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two. Both campaigns had requested additional time, and polling stations remained open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time. Bolsonaro accused the court of changing the rules during the election, stating he could not accept the result.

The extension followed reports of public transport suspensions in some areas, which Lula’s allies blamed on efforts to suppress working-class turnout. Heavy rainfall also affected southern regions that typically favor Bolsonaro. In the first round on October 4, Lula received 45 percent of the vote to Bolsonaro’s 47 percent. Since then, Lula has focused on living costs, passed a constitutional amendment to shorten the workweek, and proposed free weekend public transport.

The victory interrupts a recent trend of right-wing gains in the region. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula, and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election extraordinary. Relations with Washington remain uncertain. The Trump administration had supported the Bolsonaro family and imposed 50 percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year to influence the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is now serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.

Donald Trump Jr. criticized the voting extension on social media, suggesting judicial malpractice. U.S. Representative Ro Khanna urged President Trump to respect the outcome. Lula has previously described Washington’s pressure over Jair Bolsonaro’s trial as an attack on Brazil’s judicial sovereignty.