Lula wins fourth term as Bolsonaro rejects result

SÃO PAULO

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a fourth presidential term in the Oct. 25 runoff, while his right-wing challenger, Flávio Bolsonaro, refused to concede and vowed to seek the election’s annulment.

Lula received 51.79 percent of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.21 percent, according to the Superior Electoral Court, finishing more than 4.4 million votes ahead.

Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, challenged Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin’s decision to extend voting by two hours, arguing that it treated voters in different states unequally.

“It is impossible to recognize the election result under these circumstances. We will seek its annulment,” he told reporters.

The ruling, issued shortly before the scheduled 5 p.m. closing time, caused confusion as many polling stations had already closed. Authorities subsequently clarified that the extension applied only to stations still open.

Both campaigns had requested longer voting hours. Lula’s team cited problems with transport to polling stations, while Bolsonaro’s campaign sought extensions in some municipalities affected by heavy rain, flooding and road closures.

Electoral court president Kassio Nunes Marques said the extension had not affected the outcome.

Addressing supporters at a hotel in São Paulo, Lula thanked voters and defended Brazil’s sovereignty.

“This country will not accept being anyone’s backyard,” he said.

He pledged to expand full-day schooling and financial support for students, develop Brazilian artificial intelligence and use renewable energy to support data centers. He also called for tighter regulation of technology companies, accusing them of seeking to influence elections.

Right-wing parties retained control of the governorships in São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. Lula’s Workers’ Party won the runoff in Rio Grande do Norte, maintaining its hold on four northeastern states alongside Bahia, Ceará and Piauí.