Lula claims historic fourth term after reversing first-round deficit

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured a fourth term as Brazilian president on Sunday, overturning a deficit from the October 4 first round. The Superior Electoral Court declared him the victor shortly after 9 p.m. Brasilia time, with final tallies still pending. Lula commanded more than 64 million votes, representing over 51 percent of the total. His opponent, right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, received more than 59 million votes, or 48 percent. The margin between the two candidates exceeded four million ballots.

This outcome marks the first time in modern Brazilian history that a candidate has won a presidential runoff after trailing in the opening round. Lula, an 80-year-old former metalworkers union leader, will assume office on January 5, 2027. He will surpass his own record as the oldest president sworn in since the country returned to democracy in 1985.

Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat, announcing plans to seek legal annulment of the result. He challenged a Supreme Court decision that extended voting hours by two, arguing the court changed the rules mid-election. Polling stations remained open until 7 p.m. Brasilia time following requests from both campaigns. Bolsonaro accused the judiciary of altering the process and stated he could not accept the outcome.

The decision to extend voting hours followed reports of disruption and voter suppression. Allegations emerged that public transport services were suspended in certain areas, a move Lula allies blamed on Bolsonaro supporters aiming to hinder working-class voters. Heavy rainfall in southern regions, traditionally strongholds for Bolsonaro, also impacted turnout. During his campaign, Lula focused on living costs, highlighting a constitutional amendment passed this month to shorten the workweek and proposing free public transport on weekends. He also banned online gambling and sports betting apps in September.

Lula addressed the public at a podium decorated with flags, speaking hoarsely and coughing. He thanked voters for defending democracy and acknowledged the legislative hurdles ahead. “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 incoming administration faces the most right-leaning Congress in recent memory.

Internationally, the victory interrupts a wave of right-wing presidential gains in Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Lula, while U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders called the re-election extraordinary. Relations with Washington remain complex, as 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 Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio’s father, who received a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after his 2022 defeat.

Donald Trump Jr. criticized the voting extension on social media, suggesting judicial malpractice. U.S. Representative Ro Khanna urged the president to respect the outcome and avoid undermining Brazil’s elections. Lula has previously described Washington’s pressure over Jair Bolsonaro’s prosecution as an attack on Brazilian judicial sovereignty.