In his victory speech, Lula appealed for peace and a united Brazil. Bolsonaro, who lost the election, has so far not congratulated Lula.
In Brazil, the election authorities have announced the candidate of the left-wing Workers’ Party Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the winner of the second round of the presidential election. Lula defeated the right-wing populist incumbent Jair Bolsonaro with a difference of less than 2 percentage points.
Lula has received 50.83 percent of the votes, while Bolsonaro’s share is 49.17 percent.
The 77-year-old Lula previously served as the president of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.
In the last poll on Saturday, Lula was supported by 52 percent of the voters and Bolsonaro by 48. In the first round of the election, Lula received 48 percent of the votes and Bolsonaro 43.
In his victory speech, Lula appealed for peace and a united Brazil. He also said that Brazil is returning to the international stage.
Lula said he would lead the country for all Brazilians and not just those who voted for him.
– There are no two Brazils. We are one country, one great nation.
President of France Emmanuel Macron congratulated Lula on his election victory, saying on Twitter that the election result “opened a new page in Brazilian history.” In addition, Macron stated that the friendship between the two countries will be renewed with the influence of both presidents.
President of the United States Joe Biden in turn congratulated Lula, saying that Lula won a “free, fair and credible presidential election”.
Bolsonaro has not yet congratulated Lula.
The police reportedly made it difficult to get to the polling stations in some parts of the country
During the election day, there were reports that the police had made it difficult to get to the polling stations by setting up roadblocks in areas that are Lula’s support area. The closures are said to have been especially in the poor northeastern part of the country. However, all such voters who were in line at the ballot box when the polls closed were allowed to cast their vote.
The videos uploaded by the Labor Party to social media show how buses carrying voters are stopped at roadblocks in northeastern Brazil. According to Lula, this type of activity cannot be accepted.
Leading the election authorities Alexandre de Moraes said that all police roadblocks had been ordered to be dismantled when there was still a little more than an hour left in the voting period. According to Moraes, none of the buses were completely turned away, but everyone got to vote in the end.
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Analysis: Brazil’s election result is a fragile victory for democracy – Lula becomes president for the third time