Brazil has re-elected left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for a historic fourth term over Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Sunday night’s shock result defied polling and a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment.
Mr da Silva, commonly known as Lula, secured 51.67 per cent of the vote.
He squeaked past Mr Bolsonaro, who received 48.24 per cent.
The tight result was not unexpected – the candidates were not separated enough in the first round of voting on October 4 to deliver a decisive result.
Voting was extended an additional two hours after a ruling from Brazil’s Supreme Court imposed because Lula claimed bus delays had prevented some Brazilians from making it to their polling stations.
But Mr Bolsonaro secured more votes in the first round, and the 80-year-old Workers’ Party leader faced an uphill battle to secure another term.
Mr da Silva initially served as President between 2003 and 2011, but was jailed from 2018 to 2019 on corruption charges that were later overturned.
And in 2022, he returned to the presidency by defeating Jair Bolsonaro, becoming, at 77, the oldest leader of Brazil.
Flavio Bolsonaro, similar to his father, sought a close relationship with US President Donald Trump.
In May, he visited the Oval Office, and, while Mr Trump did not formally endorse either candidate, the US President praised his success in the first round of voting as a “great victory”.
More to follow…
