Lula wins fourth term as Brazil extends polls amid late-night chaos

Brazil’s electoral court confirmed on Sunday that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff, securing a fourth term in office.

With 100 percent of the vote counted, Lula received 51.8 percent of the total, beating challenger Flávio Bolsonaro by nearly 4.4 million votes. The result maintains a degree of distance between Washington and Latin America’s largest economy, which has a GDP of 2.6 trillion U.S. dollars per year. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, joins U.S. President Donald Trump and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega as the oldest leaders in the Americas, all currently 80 years old.

The election followed a turbulent first round earlier this month, where Bolsonaro initially led by more than 2.2 million votes. This marks the first time since the end of Brazil’s military dictatorship in 1985 that the second-place finisher in the first round won the presidency. Lula reorganized his campaign after that loss, appealing to young voters and emphasizing democratic values against the backdrop of rising cost-of-living and security concerns.

On Sunday evening, voting became chaotic after Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled three minutes before the scheduled deadline to extend polling by two hours. Zanin is a former lawyer for Lula. The extension was requested by both campaigns: Lula cited bus transportation issues in São Paulo and Salvador, while Bolsonaro pointed to heavy rains in the south. In Rio de Janeiro, some voting machines had already been switched off and could not be restarted. In Brasilia, volunteers debated whether to remain after the announcement, with many leaving 15 to 20 minutes after polls closed.

Bolsonaro stated after the results were announced that he wants the election annulled due to the extension. His ally Nikolas Ferreira noted the conflict of interest regarding Zanin’s past relationship with Lula. In contrast, Lula addressed supporters in São Paulo, calling the result a defeat for denialism and lies. He pledged to respect all Brazilians regardless of gender or religion and emphasized national sovereignty. “This country will not accept being anyone's backyard,” he said. Lula also kissed his wife, Rosângela Lula da Silva, while wearing star-shaped red glasses during a celebration video shared by his campaign.

Supporters in Rio de Janeiro celebrated with car horns and shouts, while Bolsonaro supporters expressed frustration. Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and Bolsonaro supporter, said he did not understand why people voted for Lula, claiming the country was collapsing. The next presidential term begins on Jan. 5, 2027.