Flavio Bolsonaro is refusing to concede defeat to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who bested him by nearly 4.4 million votes, following a chaotic delay in poll closing times ordered by a Supreme Court justice.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a vocal critic Donald Trump, was reelected Sunday in a result that provides relief to critics of widening U.S. influence in Latin America.

With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court announced that the soon to be 81-year-old Lula had a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes over opponent Flávio Bolsonaro, giving him 51.8% of the total vote. Bolsonaro quickly refused to concede defeat and asked for the election results to be annulled after an evening of chaos at some polling places that followed a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours.

Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated to take the presidency in 2022.

Lula’s triumph bucks a regional trend of victories for right-of-center presidential candidates allied with Trump. It also means Latin America’s largest economy, with a GDP of $2.6 trillion per year, will likely continue defying Trump’s demands, despite the pressure of increased tariffs.

    • DMCMNFIBFFF@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      21 hours ago

      I think the cover-up of Biden’s decline was more of a factor.

      Had he resigned in very early 2024 (maybe become a President-emeritus-of-sorts), she acts as President for a few months and shows her stuff, and have real primaries (which she probably would have won if she was half-competent as acting President), she wouldn’t have gotten 1.5% of the popular vote less than Trump, but probably more.

      Also maybe go on Joe Rogan, and maybe be more aggressive in the debate. “Donald Trump, you are such a liar! Please stop lying! You can’t stop lying! Stop lying!” Maybe not even bother debating him.

      • Granbo's Holy Hotrod@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        10 hours ago

        Agree. Ultimately she was a bad choice and a bad candidate who benefited because tRump is such a piece of shit. The Democtartic elite have no respect for the constituents.

    • CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      7·
      2 days ago

      Nah the Blue MAGA people would rather infantalize her and point to her race and gender as her reason for losing. Bill Maher would be so proud.