Bolsonaro calls for Brazil election results to be ‘annulled’ after loss to Lula

Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) speaks after losing the presidential runoff election, in Brasilia, Brazil October 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: REUTERS/Adriano Machado

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

With 100 per cent 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 — 51.8 per cent of the total vote — over opponent Flávio Bolsonaro. The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours.

Late Sunday, Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat, calling the move to extend voting hours unprecedented — though both he and Lula made the request — and asked for the election results to be annulled, saying they were impossible to accept.

Lula's triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-centre presidential candidates allied with Trump have been winning. Lula's victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America's two most populous nations, with left-of-centre leaders. It also positions Latin America's largest economy, with a GDP of USD 2.6 trillion per year, to remain independent of the US, despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Trump.

Lula's win confirmed by electoral court

A video published by Lula's campaign shows the veteran leader celebrating with First Lady Rosângela da Silva and allies after his runoff victory was confirmed by Brazil's electoral court.

Wearing star-shaped red glasses, he kissed his wife. Hundreds of his supporters began gathering on São Paulo's main artery to celebrate the victory.

In Rio de Janeiro, cars beeped their horns and a woman dressed in red — the colour of Lula supporters — shouted “You lost! Cry harder!” to four men in yellow and green sipping beers, Bolsonaro's signature colors. A huge roar echoed in the street as the result was confirmed.

Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and supporter of Bolsonaro, said that another Lula government would harm the economy. He pointed to financial markets' positive reaction to the result of the first round, when Bolsonaro bested Lula.

“I don't understand how people can vote for Lula,” he said. “The country is collapsing.”

Bolsonaro had yet to respond to Lula's apparent victory, which, if confirmed by electoral authorities, will give him his non-consecutive fourth term as president. The next term begins on Jan. 5, 2027.

Published on October 26, 2026