Lula, 80, re-elected as Brazil president as vocal Trump critic fends off right-wing Bolsonaro to win knife-edge election

BRAZIL’S left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been re-elected for a historic fourth term after a narrow win at the polls. The long-serving leader, 80, won a tight majority over Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of infamous ex-president Jair Bolsonaro who was jailed last year for plotting a coup. Lula – a vocal Donald Trump critic – defied the odds as polls had shown he was trailing his opponent in the run-up to the ballot. Bolsonaro had beaten Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of elections earlier this month. Reports said voting was neck and neck for much of the count on Sunday evening. But Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, managed to defy the predictions and hold onto power. READ MORE WORLD NEWS No leader since the country returned to democracy in 1988 has failed to take the presidency after winning the first round. Lula had said the election was a matter of “sovereignty” and argued people faced a choice between the US and Brazil. In his first speech after the result, Lula said all Brazilians voted to “guarantee democracy” on Sunday. The re-elected president also promised better regulation of big tech platforms after alleged “interference” throughout the campaign. Most read in The Sun Extraordinary photos showed Brazilians celebrating on the streets across major cities. Some let off flares while others were pictured hugging in joy following the seismic result. Sunday’s elections were marred by complications – as voting was extended in several regions because of disruptions, including bad weather and transport problems. Lula secured 51.76 per cent of the vote while Bolsonaro had 48.24 per cent. Lula, who has been president three times and is now set for a fourth term, was the candidate for the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT). The veteran politician previously led the country between 2003 and 2010. His social welfare programmes were praised for lifting millions out of poverty. But his ride hasn’t been all smooth sailing – in 2018 he was jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of corruption and money laundering. The convictions were cancelled in 2021, allowing him to run for presidency in 2022. That year, he beat Jair Bolsonaro, Flavio’s father. Lula’s main voter base is in Brazil’s poorer northeast regions. Experts say he is also popular among low-income voters, Catholics and women.