Brazil's incumbent president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a historic fourth term as president on Sunday.
The 80-year-old defeated Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro, after securing 51.75% of the vote with over 98.76% of the votes counted, Brazil's electoral court confirmed. Bolsonaro secured 48.25% of the votes.
Lula, who first ran for president in 1989, had to wait till 2002 to taste his first victory, followed by another in 2006. The veteran politician was reelected in 2022 for his third term after a hiatus, which included 580 days in prison.
Deep Dive
How did Lula da Silva turn around his campaign after trailing in Brazil’s first-round vote?
Why was Lula da Silva’s fourth-term victory historic?
Why was voting extended during Brazil’s presidential runoff?
The win on Sunday was historic. It is the first time since the military dictatorship ended in the country in 1985 that a candidate trailing in the first round of Brazil's election has come back to secure a win in the second.
Also read: Brazil debate explodes on camera: 'Angry' Lula and Bolsonaro clash over poverty and personal insults
How Lula Turned His Campaign Around
When the first round of votes was counted on October 4, Lula trailed Bolsonaro by 2.2 million votes. Since then, the soon-to-be 81-year-old reorganised his campaign and tried to reach out to young voters. He held rally after rally, bringing millions of Brazilian on the streets.
{{/usCountry}}When the first round of votes was counted on October 4, Lula trailed Bolsonaro by 2.2 million votes. Since then, the soon-to-be 81-year-old reorganised his campaign and tried to reach out to young voters. He held rally after rally, bringing millions of Brazilian on the streets.
{{/usCountry}}But much of the focus of the campaign revamp after the first round focused on Jair Bolsonaro's tenure. Lula held rallies with the banner "Never Again Bolsonaro." They focused on activists recalling how the ex-president handled the COVID-19 pandemic, the cuts in public programs and the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
To connect with the youth, Lula, who has never used a smartphone, bought one and took selfies and videos with supporters that subsequently flooded Brazilian social media, AFP reports. His supporters also went from door-to-door trying to get people to change their mind.
Also read: Brazil’s love affair with cellphones turns theft into an election flashpoint
Eventually, the incumbent President staged a turnaround in the last few weeks to secure a victory Sunday.
According to BBC, Lula da Silva's supporters are gathering at São Paulo where the 80-year-old is expected to address them later tonight.
Final Rounds of Voting Turns Chaotic
Sunday's election and counting descended into chaos after Lula's campaign moved Brazil's Supreme Court, alleging that voters could not reach the polling stations due to public transportation issues. The requested an extension of voting hours.
Counting of votes had already started when Supreme Justice Cristiano Zanin accepted the request of the incumbent president and extended the voting by two hours, till 7pm local time. The counting was paused and voting continued.
Flavio Bolsonaro's campaign had also asked for extensions in some parts of due to heavy rain. But his campaign was enraged by the country-wide extension of voting. Reacting to it, pro-Bolsonaro lawmaker Nikolas Ferreira wrote on X: "Either we win. Or we win. Consider yourself warned."
Lula da Silva's fourth term starts on January 5, 2027.