Lula wins Brazil election as Bolsonaro refuses to concede
Brazil's president-elect secures 51.8% of votes in runoff, but opponent challenges result
At a glance
- Lula secured 51.8% of votes with a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes over Bolsonaro
- Bolsonaro refused to concede and requested the election results be annulled
- Lula's win bucks a regional trend of right-of-centre presidential victories
- Brazil's $2.6 trillion economy will likely continue resisting external economic pressure
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil's presidential election on Sunday with 51.8% of the vote, according to the country's electoral court. His opponent, Flávio Bolsonaro, refused to concede defeat and called for the results to be annulled, citing chaos at some polling places following a last-minute two-hour voting extension.
Lula's victory represents a regional outlier, as most Latin American countries have recently elected right-of-centre candidates. Brazil's economy, valued at $2.6 trillion annually, will continue under leadership that has resisted pressure from increased tariffs.
Why it matters
Lula's victory contrasts with recent regional political trends and affects Latin America's largest economy's international relations and economic policies.
Original reporting
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