Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured an unprecedented fourth presidential term, defeating right-wing rival Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested election that sparked celebrations across the country.
Lula celebrated with huge crowds of jubilant supporters in the streets of São Paulo on Sunday after staging a dramatic comeback to win Brazil’s presidential run-off election, overcoming his conservative challenger to secure another four years in office.
Official results showed Lula winning 51.79 per cent of valid votes, against 48.21 per cent for Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro. The result marked a significant political comeback for the 80-year-old left-wing leader, who had trailed his rival in the first round of voting earlier this month.
In São Paulo, thousands of supporters dressed in red, the colour of Lula’s Workers’ Party, poured into the streets, waving flags, chanting slogans and celebrating the result with fireworks and music.
“It was a struggle, but we did it, because we fought hard and we won,” supporter Mayara Manga told AFP, reflecting the relief and excitement among Lula’s supporters after a fiercely contested campaign.
Lula’s victory is particularly significant because no candidate who lost the first round of a Brazilian presidential election had gone on to win the run-off since the country’s return to direct presidential elections in 1989. His supporters intensified their campaign after the initial setback, organising rallies and mobilising voters around the message of defending democracy and preventing a return to far-right rule.
The election exposed deep divisions in Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy, with voters split over the cost of living, crime, social welfare, corruption and the country’s political direction. Bolsonaro attracted support from conservatives and voters demanding tougher security measures and economic change, while Lula campaigned on his record of social programmes and efforts to reduce poverty and hunger.
Lula first became president in 2003 and won a second term in 2006. After leaving office in 2011, he returned to the presidency in 2023 following his victory in the 2022 election. His latest win extends his political comeback after a corruption conviction that led to more than a year in prison was annulled on procedural grounds.
Despite the celebrations, Lula faces a divided electorate and a challenging political landscape, including a Congress dominated by conservative forces. His next term will test his ability to address persistent security concerns, economic pressures and demands for improved living conditions while seeking to unite a country in which nearly half of voters backed his opponent.
