Trump slams ‘rigged’ Brazil election after ally loses to leftist Lula

Donald Trump has denounced the recent Brazilian election as "rigged" and "corrupt" following his ally Flavio Bolsonaro's defeat by leftist incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The 45-year-old son of former President Jair Bolsonaro called for an annulment of the result, which denied Trump the South American political influence he sought. Trump expressed his displeasure with the election's outcome during a trip to Washington for a campaign rally ahead of the US midterm elections.

Trump acknowledged that he did not endorse any candidate but stated that the election appeared "very bad" and "terrible" due to its perceived lack of fairness. He had hoped for Bolsonaro's victory, as the younger Bolsonaro was part of a wave of conservative Latin American leaders increasingly allied with Washington. Trump also noted that Lula, whom he described as a "good friend," had requested a two-hour extension for voting due to transportation issues in certain cities.

Although Trump declined to discuss any potential action regarding the Brazilian outcome, he maintained that the election process failed to meet international standards. Despite his close ties with the Bolsonaro family, Trump has also demonstrated a fondness for Lula, praising their shared chemistry. However, Trump has consistently boasted about his administration's efforts to reshape the political landscape in Latin America, including the US military intervention that removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power in January.