Lula Secures Fourth Term as Brazil's President in Tight Runoff
The 80-year-old leftist leader narrowly defeated Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, in a closely contested election.
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office, narrowly defeating Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former president Jair Bolsonaro, in a runoff election on Sunday. Official results showed the 80-year-old leftist leader secured 51.7% of the vote, compared to 48.2% for his right-wing challenger.
This victory marks a significant turnaround for Lula, who finished second to Bolsonaro's son in the first round of voting. Final polls leading up to the runoff had indicated a very close race between the two candidates.
Polling stations were initially scheduled to close at 5:00 p.m. local time. However, the country's Supreme Court extended voting for an additional two hours following complaints that transportation issues had hindered some citizens' ability to cast their ballots. The extension was requested by President Lula.
