Lula Wins Unprecedented Fourth Term as President of Brazil as Bolsonaro Seeks to Cancel Elections

Incumbent left-wing Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who will soon turn 81, was re-elected on Sunday for an unprecedented fourth term after defeating his conservative rival, Flavio Bolsonaro, who announced his intention to seek the annulment of the election.

With Lula’s victory, Brazil did not ultimately shift to the right, as seen in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia—countries supported by U.S. President Donald Trump—but remained one of the few progressive strongholds in Latin America.

According to official results, Lula secured approximately 51.8% of the vote, compared to 48.2% for the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Flavio Bolsonaro had previously advanced to the runoff from the first round, where he represented the far-right wing of his father (who served as president from 2019 to 2022).

Speaking from São Paulo after his victory, Lula stated that Brazilians had voted to “ensure democracy.”

His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year prison sentence under house arrest for his role in an attempted coup following his loss in the 2022 elections.

However, the room for maneuver for the president in his fourth term appears limited, following the decisive victory achieved by conservatives in the legislative elections three weeks prior.

The campaign highlighted the deep divisions still plaguing the country, with a dispute marring election day itself. By order of a Supreme Court judge, voting was extended by two hours following a complaint filed by Lula’s campaign team.

Lula had asked the judiciary to extend voting hours, citing that 40% of buses were withdrawn from service in São Paulo, and that similar problems were reported in several cities in northeastern Brazil. He condemned the situation, stating that “something disgraceful was happening.”

On Sunday, Flavio Bolsonaro said he would demand the “annulment of the elections” after his defeat.

Speaking from Brasília, he declared, “It is impossible to accept the election result,” adding that “many things still need clarification,” referring to the court decision and characterizing the electoral process as “unacceptable.”

Following the announcement of the results, Lula received congratulations from José Antonio Kast, the far-right president of Chile, and Daniel Noboa, the right-wing president of Ecuador, both of whom are close allies of Donald Trump.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on the X platform, “Long live democracy, the Brazilian people have won.”

On a personal level, Lula’s re-election crowns an extraordinary career and represents a final challenge to fate for the boy who grew up poor in the state of Pernambuco (northeast Brazil).

Politically, he has set a record, as no democratically elected president has ever governed Brazil for such a long period.

Lula, one of the world’s oldest leaders, will turn 85 when his new term ends in 2030. This will bring his total years in power to 16, following an initial presidential term from 2003 to 2010.

During his campaign, Lula raised the banner of sovereignty in the face of commercial and diplomatic pressure from the United States.

He stated, “The people must choose: either someone who kisses the national flag or someone who kisses the American flag.”

However, Donald Trump avoided explicitly endorsing Flavio Bolsonaro.

When asked on Sunday about the Brazilian elections, Trump, an ally of Jair Bolsonaro, simply said, “We are watching, yes.”

A fierce battle erupted on social media targeting Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, with Lula’s campaign accusing the company of bias toward his rival through “algorithmic manipulation.”

Meta denied this, but acknowledged that some advertisements for Lula’s campaign were mistakenly halted due to technical issues. In this context, Lula said that voters had overcome the “interference” of digital platforms and pledged to regulate them.