Brazil's Vote: Lula Reverses Deficit for Fourth Term

Working families in Brazil now have a new mandate, as Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff on Sunday. The Superior Electoral Court confirmed the victory shortly after 9pm local time. Lula finished with more than 51 percent of the vote and over 64 million ballots. His opponent, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received 48 percent and more than 59 million votes. The difference stood at more than 4 million ballots.

Lula, who is 80 years old, will take office on January 5, 2027. This date marks the start of his fourth non-consecutive term. He becomes the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy. The result breaks a historical barrier, as he is the first politician to win a runoff after losing the initial round in modern Brazilian history.

Speaking from a podium surrounded by flags, Lula addressed the crowd with a hoarse voice. He acknowledged the difficulty of working with the current legislature. "I do not choose the Congress," he stated. "It was the people who chose it, and it is with them that I will vote, work and get things approved." His next term faces the most right-wing Congress in recent memory, a body that will shape his policy agenda.

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to admit defeat immediately. He said he would seek to annul the outcome and challenge a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two. Polling stations stayed open until 7pm to address reports of voter suppression. The extension came after public transport services were suspended in some areas, a move Lula allies blamed on an attempt to limit access for working-class voters. Heavy rain in the south also affected turnout in Bolsonaro strongholds.

Lula entered the final round with 45 percent of the vote, behind Bolsonaro’s 47 percent in the October 4 first round. His campaign focused on living costs and labor rights. A constitutional amendment passed this month will shorten the workweek. Lula also proposed free public transport on weekends. His administration banned online gambling and sports betting apps in September to address household debt.

The win interrupts a wave of right-wing presidential victories in the region. Leaders in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador had previously shifted power to the right. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula on the result. US Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election "extraordinary." Many of these regional leaders benefited from anti-incumbent sentiment and support from the Trump administration.

Relations with Washington remain uncertain. The Trump administration imposed 50 percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year to influence the prosecution of Jair Bolsonaro. Former President Jair Bolsonaro faces a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Donald Trump Jr. criticized the voting extension on social media, while US Representative Ro Khanna urged the president to respect the outcome.