‘Defeat for denialism’: Lula beats far right Bolsonaro in Brazilian presidential election

Incumbent Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a victory in the recent presidential election, defeating his far-right rival Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently imprisoned for attempting a coup d'état. Lula won 51.8% of valid votes, while Flávio secured 48.2%. Despite Flávio winning more votes in the first round, neither candidate received a majority, necessitating a runoff election.

In the subsequent vote, Lula managed to gain an additional 10 million votes over the 20-day span, ultimately triumphing. The incumbent president expressed optimism about Brazil's future, stating, "This election was a defeat for denialism, a defeat for lies." He pledged to lead the nation in climate policy, highlighting that the country had managed to reduce deforestation for four consecutive years.

Under Jair Bolsonaro's administration, deforestation had reached its highest level in 15 years. Lula's administration aims to end both legal and illegal deforestation by 2030, a goal that has been gradually achieved, with deforestation rates dropping to their lowest point since records began in 1988. Between August 2025 and July 2026, approximately 333,500 hectares (824,000 acres) of forest were lost, an area equal to roughly 7,300 Olympic-size swimming pools cleared daily.