Brazil Runoff: Lula Claims Fourth Term With 64 Million Votes

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured his fourth presidential term on Sunday after the Superior Electoral Court declared him the winner of Brazil's runoff. The court made the announcement shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time, with final counts still in progress. Lula captured more than 51 percent of the vote, amassing over 64 million ballots. His opponent, right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received 48 percent and more than 59 million votes. The margin of victory exceeded 4 million votes.

This victory marks a historic reversal for Lula, who finished second in the October 4 first round with 45 percent of the vote compared to Bolsonaro's 47 percent. The result makes him the first politician in modern Brazilian history to win a runoff after losing the initial round. The 80-year-old former union leader will take office on January 5, 2027, becoming the oldest president sworn in since Brazil's return to democracy.

Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the election immediately. He announced plans to seek annulment of the result, specifically challenging a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two. Both campaigns had requested additional time, and polling stations remained open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time. Bolsonaro accused the court of altering rules mid-election, stating he could not accept the outcome.

The decision to extend voting followed reports of logistical disruptions and allegations of voter suppression. Lula's allies claimed that Bolsonaro supporters suspended public transport in certain areas to hinder working-class turnout. Heavy rainfall also affected southern regions traditionally considered strongholds for the Bolsonaro camp.

Lula campaigned on economic issues, highlighting living costs and the passage of a constitutional amendment this month to shorten the workweek. He also proposed free public transport on weekends. While poverty rates declined and unemployment remained low during his previous term, rising household debt contributed to economic dissatisfaction. In September, he also banned online gambling and sports betting applications.

At a podium decorated with national flags, Lula spoke in a hoarse voice while coughing. He thanked voters for defending democracy and acknowledged the difficulty of working with the legislature. "I do not choose the Congress," he said. "It was the people who chose it, and it is with them that I will vote, work and get things approved." His next term will face a Congress that is the most right-leaning in recent memory.

The win interrupts a streak of presidential victories for the regional right in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum offered congratulations, while US Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election extraordinary. Tensions with Washington persist following the Trump administration's support for the Bolsonaro family and the imposition of 50 percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year. Those tariffs were intended to halt the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who has since received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup.