Brazil Election: Lula Wins Fourth Term, Defeats Flávio Bolsonaro

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth presidential term, defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro with 51.7 percent of the vote. Lula secured 64,241,049 votes, while Bolsonaro garnered 59,818,781 votes, representing 42.22 percent, with more than four million votes declared invalid.

His win came after a Supreme Court justice ordered polls in the run-off to stay open for two extra hours over complaints by Lula about bus shortages in cities run by Bolsonaro allies.

The result marks a rare political turnaround, as no candidate who finished second in the first round had won the presidential runoff since Brazil returned to democracy in the 1980s.

Lula’s victory gives him another four years to pursue his pledge to end deforestation by 2030. The result is also a setback for US President Donald Trump, an ally of the Bolsonaro family.

Lula’s comeback from a first-round deficit defies Brazil’s post-democracy electoral history.
His win strengthens Brazil’s role in climate diplomacy and Amazon protection efforts.
A right-leaning Congress could constrain his environmental agenda.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s defeat weakens the family’s political dynasty and Trump’s regional influence.
The extended voting hours highlight logistical challenges in Brazil’s electoral system.