Left-wing candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has claimed a stunning victory over populist Trump ally Flávio Bolsonaro in the Brazil presidential election.
With all votes counted, Lula has won 51.79% of the vote, compared to Bolsonaro’s 48.21, giving the 80-year-old a fourth term in office.
It represents a remarkable turnaround for Lula, who was expected to be defeated by his right-wing rival after he lost the first round of voting.
It’s the first time a president has overturned a first-round loss since the return of democracy in 1988.
Speaking after his victory was confirmed, Lula told his supporters: “You have saved Brazilian democracy.”
He said the result was a “loss for negativity and lies,” and also took a dig at the US by saying that Brazil will “not accept being anyone’s backyard”, the BBC reports.
Unsurprisingly for someone backed heavily by Trump, Bolsonaro has refused to accept the election result.
Speaking overnight, Bolsonaro said the result was “impossible to recognise” because “the rules of the game were changed.”
This is a reference to the Supreme Court’s decision to extend voting by two hours – something both Lula and Bolsonaro’s campaign teams had called for.
No presidential election in Brazil has ever been annulled.
Embarrassingly for Bolsonaro, he had been preparing for a victory speech.
“The scene was set for a victory party and speech, with a big screen and supporters of his inside,” the BBC’s Ione Wells reported overnight.
“When it was clear which way the wind was blowing, some of those supporters left early looking despondent and in some cases visibly annoyed.”
Could this be the first of three glorious defeats over the next few days…