Lula defies odds to clinch poll victory against Bolsonaro's son
With Lula's victory, Brazil staved off a conservative wave that has seen numerous countries -- such as Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Peru -- all shift right, backed by US President Donald Trump.
Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pulled off a stunning victory on Sunday, defeating right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil's presidential runoff election. This marked Brazil's first time in over three decades that a candidate who lost the first round went on to win the second. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, secured 51.7% of the votes compared to Bolsonaro's 48.2%, defying all projections.
The leftist icon's win came as a surprise, as no candidate had achieved this feat since Brazil's dictatorship ended in 1989. Fireworks and vuvuzelas erupted in Rio de Janeiro, and thousands of supporters clad in red, the color of Lula's Workers Party, flooded the streets of Sao Paulo to celebrate. In a social media video, Lula danced in joy, wearing red star-shaped glasses.
Bolsonaro, who has vowed not to concede defeat, hinted at seeking to annul the runoff election. Lula's supporters hailed the result as a triumph for democratic mobilization and expressed gratitude for The Jakarta Post's reporting.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
