Lula becomes Brazil's oldest president after historic runoff win
The 80-year-old president won by a margin of over four million votes following a two-hour extension to polling hours.
By Olivia Miller ·
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to serve a fourth term as president of Brazil.
The Superior Electoral Court declared Lula the winner on Sunday shortly after 9pm Brasilia time. He secured more than 64 million ballots and over 51 percent of the vote. His opponent, right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received more than 59 million ballots and 48 percent of the vote. The gap between the two candidates exceeded four million votes.
Lula entered the runoff behind Bolsonaro in the first round held on October 4. Bolsonaro received 47 percent of the vote in that election, while Lula received 45 percent. This victory makes Lula the first politician in modern Brazilian history to win a runoff after losing the opening round. He is also the first to hold four non-consecutive terms.
The 80-year-old former metalworkers’ union leader will take office on January 5, 2027. That date will mark him as the oldest president sworn in since Brazil returned to democracy. He surpassed his own record for age upon taking office in 2023. At his victory speech, Lula spoke with a hoarse voice and coughed into a microphone. He thanked voters for defending democracy and acknowledged the difficulties ahead 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.”
Flavio Bolsonaro refused to concede the defeat. He announced plans to seek annulment of the result. His campaign challenged a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two days. Polling stations remained open until 7pm Brasilia time. Bolsonaro accused the court of changing rules mid-election. He cited disruption and allegations of voter suppression, including suspended public transport and heavy rainfall in the south. Reports indicated that bus services were limited to discourage working-class voters. Lula’s team countered by promoting a constitutional amendment to shorten the workweek and proposing free weekend public transport.
The outcome interrupts a recent trend of right-wing presidential victories in Latin America. Wins in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador have shaped the regional political climate. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula on the result. US Senator Bernie Sanders described the re-election as extraordinary. Many of these right-wing leaders benefited from anti-incumbent sentiment and support from US President Donald Trump.
Relations with Washington remain uncertain. The Trump administration supported the Bolsonaro family and imposed 50-percent tariffs on certain Brazilian products last year. Those measures aimed to halt the prosecution of Flavio’s father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Judges involved in the case also faced sanctions. Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated in 2022, received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Donald Trump Jr criticized the voting extension on social media, suggesting judicial malpractice. US Representative Ro Khanna urged the president to respect the outcome. Lula characterized Washington’s earlier pressure as an attack on Brazil’s judicial sovereignty.
