US President says Brazilian presidential election appeared 'rigged' to him

Washington, Oct 26 (KUNA) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Brazil’s presidential election, which resulted in the re-election of incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva for a second term, appeared to him to be “rigged” and “very bad.” Trump told reporters, in response to questions about the Brazilian election, “To be honest, it looked like another rigged election. I didn’t side with any party, but the scene was very bad for the world to see.” He added, “Elections must be above suspicion, and what I saw was very bad.”

Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court announced on Sunday that President Lula da Silva won the runoff of the presidential election against his right-wing rival, Senator Jair Bolsonaro. In a statement, the court said the leftist da Silva secured 51 percent of the vote after more than 96 percent of ballots had been counted, marking a notable comeback after losing the first round in early October. This is the first time in Brazil that a presidential candidate has overcome a first-round defeat to win in the second round.

The statement noted that the incumbent received more than 51.49 million votes, while Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, obtained 48.68 percent of the vote, equivalent to 48.8 million votes, in a fiercely contested race.

The electoral process was marred by allegations of voter suppression, following reports that public transport services were suspended in some Brazilian regions. Campaigns for both candidates had petitioned the Supreme Court to extend voting hours.

Da Silva’s victory in a new presidential term will keep Brazil away from the right-wing bloc in the region and at a distance from Washington, while continuing to strengthen its ties with China. (End) R.S.R./R.J.