Brazil Extends Polls by Two Hours as Lula Holds 4.4 Million Vote Lead

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a frequent critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, will begin a fourth non-consecutive term as Brazil's president on Jan. 5, 2027, after the country's electoral court announced his re-election on Sunday.

With 100 per cent of ballots counted, the court put Lula at 51.8 per cent of the vote, a lead of nearly 4.4 million over challenger Flávio Bolsonaro. Flávio Bolsonaro is the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, whom Lula defeated in 2022.

Flávio Bolsonaro refused to concede and asked for the results to be annulled. His request followed a Supreme Court ruling issued three minutes before the scheduled close of voting. Justice Cristiano Zanin, whom Bolsonaro identified as a former lawyer for Lula, ordered polls kept open two additional hours after both campaigns requested more time. Lula's campaign cited bus breakdowns affecting voter transport in São Paulo and Salvador. Flávio Bolsonaro's request cited heavy rain in Brazil's south. The extension pushed back the tally by two hours, and it was unclear how many polling stations stayed open past the original deadline. Reporters for The Associated Press saw polls in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro close shortly after the 5 p.m. local deadline.

Flávio Bolsonaro criticized the extension. "It's impossible to recognize the results of the election in the context of these things that happened," he said. He also said Zanin was "changing the rules of the game in the middle of the game." The source material does not state whether his complaint meets the legal threshold for annulment. Flávio Bolsonaro can request a recount if he has evidence of fraud.

Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, spoke to supporters gathered on Sao Paulo's main avenue and at Rio de Janeiro's Cinelandia Square. "This was a defeat for denialism and lies. I must confess that every time I attended a debate, I felt embarrassed," he said. He also said, "Either the homeland remains free or we die for Brazil," and "This country will not accept being anyone's backyard."

Flávio Bolsonaro led the first round earlier this month by more than 2.2 million votes. Lula's Sunday result marks the first time since Brazil's military dictatorship ended in 1985 that a first-round runner-up won the presidency. Lula spent more than a year in prison on corruption convictions that were later annulled after messages surfaced showing the judge who convicted him was biased. He was released after 580 days.

Rodrigo Valentim, 51, a businessman who supports Flávio Bolsonaro, said another Lula government would hurt the economy. He pointed to financial markets' reaction to the first round, when Flávio Bolsonaro outpaced Lula. "I don't understand how people can vote for Lula," he said. "The country is collapsing."

Brazil's GDP stands at $2.6 trillion US per year, and Lula's win runs against a regional pattern of right-of-centre presidential candidates allied with Trump taking office. Lula joins Trump and Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, all aged 80, as the oldest presidents in the Americas.