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Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva calls for 'peace and unity' after beating far-Right rival Jair Bolsonaro in knife-edge election that split the nation after millions cast their votes... but will the 'Trump of the Tropics' concede defeat?
- Millions of voters in Brazil cast their vote on Sunday to decide whether to keep in far-right Bolsonaro
- It follows a divisive election campaign between Bolsonaro and former left-wing President Luiz Lula da Silva
- During the first half of the night's count, Bolsonaro had been leading with results on a knife-edge
- With 98.8% of the votes tallied, da Silva was guaranteed victory with 50.8% while Bolsonaro had 49.2%
- US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron have both congratulated Mr Da Silva
PUBLISHED: 14:21 EDT, 30 October 2022 | UPDATED: 22:14 EDT, 30 October 2022
Brazil's veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has urged for 'peace and unity' after being elected president on Sunday by a hair's breadth, beating his far-right rival Jair Bolsonaro in a down-to-the-wire poll that split the country in two.
The former president, who won a third term in office, stood neck and neck with incumbent Bolsonaro throughout a nail-biting count, however he emerged victorious with 50.83 percent of the vote to 49.17 percent for his rival, according to election authorities who declared him the victor.
All eyes are now on Bolsonaro and whether he will accept the result.
A victory means a remarkable political comeback for the charismatic-but-tarnished Lula, less than five years after he was imprisoned for 18 months on controversial corruption charges that were later annulled by the Supreme Court, which ruled the lead judge in his case was biased.
It is a stunning return to power for da Silva, 77, whose 2018 imprisonment over a corruption scandal sidelined him from that year's election, paving the way for then-candidate Bolsonaro's win and four years of far-right politics.
World leaders have sent their congratulations to da Silva, who has promised to restore Brazil's more prosperous past, yet faces headwinds in a polarised society.
In a victory speech after the result was announced, the President-elect told supporters that Brazil was 'back on the global stage' and urged 'peace and unity' in the aftermath of one of the most divisive elections in the nation's history.
He promised to protect the Amazon rainforest and told the country he would create 'a Brazil of peace, democracy, and opportunity.'
Brazil's former President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrates his victory at a rally in Sao Paulo
Source:
Brazilian president-elect Lula calls for 'peace and unity'
Brazil's veteran leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has urged for 'peace and unity' after being elected president on Sunday, beating far-right rival Jair Bolsonaro in a poll that split the country in two.
