Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has received congratulations from Latin American nations and fellow BRICS members after winning reelection as Brazil’s president.
Lula prevailed over right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump, in the second round of the vote on Sunday.
The 80-year-old veteran politician secured 51.79% of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, according to the completed count published by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), winning a historic fourth term by more than 4.4 million votes.
The victory means Latin America’s largest economy is set to maintain its prominent role in BRICS rather than shift closer to Washington under the Bolsonaro political dynasty. The defeated challenger had openly questioned Brazil’s membership in the bloc, accusing Lula of using it to antagonize the United States.
Addressing jubilant crowds in Sao Paulo, Lula thanked Brazilians for his reelection and singled out young people who had taken to the streets during the campaign.
“Today, my remarks are about gratitude,” he declared, pledging to give citizens a greater say in government decisions. “We are going to change the way this country is governed.”
However, Bolsonaro has refused to concede defeat and vowed to seek the annulment of the election, accusing the Supreme Court of improperly interfering in the vote.
“Brazil cannot accept this dirty trick,” he declared, denouncing the last-minute decision to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours as “unacceptable” and equivalent to “changing the rules of the game while the game was being played.”
The controversial ruling by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, Lula’s former personal lawyer, followed complaints from the incumbent’s campaign that public transport disruptions had prevented voters from reaching polling stations.
However, Bolsonaro did not mention that his own campaign had also requested extended voting hours in several cities affected by severe weather.
The decision came shortly after the original 5 PM deadline, when many polling stations had already closed and sealed their electronic voting machines. Senior judges have reportedly acknowledged procedural errors in handling the extension but ruled out annulling the election, according to Folha de S.Paulo.
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26 October 2026
Russia welcomes Lula’s victory in the Brazilian presidential election, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.
“He contributes a great deal not only to the development of bilateral relations, but also to the advancement of processes within BRICS and other organizations,” Peskov told journalists.
Moscow “hope[s] that all these processes will continue in the future,” he added.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent greetings to Lula, whom he called a “dear friend,” upon his being reelected as Brazil’s president.
“The results of the vote fully confirm that your fellow citizens recognize your outstanding leadership qualities and support the course you have pursued towards the country’s sustainable social and economic development, as well as the protection of its sovereignty and legitimate interests on the global stage,” Putin said in a message published on the Kremlin website.
The Russian leader also mentioned Lula’s upcoming 81st birthday and wished him “good health, happiness, prosperity, and continued success in your public service for the benefit of the friendly Brazilian people.”
Beijing has commented on the Brazilian election results, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun saying “we extend our congratulations” to Lula.
China “stands ready to work with Brazil to continue advancing the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future,” Guo stressed. The two nations are the founding members of the BRICS group, together with Russia and India.
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has congratulated Lula on his reelection and praised Brazilians for their participation in the election.
“May we continue working together in this renewed four-year period for a more integrated and prosperous Latin America,” he wrote on X.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, the younger brother of defeated Brazilian presidential contender Flavio Bolsonaro, has issued a video statement on X, saying that “we will never give up the fight.”
He claimed that Lula’s victory in the election was “statistically impossible” as never before in the country’s history has a candidate lost the runoff after winning in the first round.
The vote was “fraudulent,” Eduardo Bolsonaro insisted. “This is a message to you: do not recognize this election.”
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is among the latest leaders to congratulate Lula, saying that Brazilians have “expressed their support for... strengthening national sovereignty, enhancing Brazil’s standing as a major global power.”
Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi has spoken with Lula following his reelection, describing the Brazilian leader as “a friend.”
“I congratulated him on his victory and on the celebration of democracy that an electoral process represents,” he wrote on X.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised Lula’s commitment to social justice and poverty reduction as he welcomed his reelection.
“I have always valued our friendship, and I share his conviction that the Global South must have a stronger voice in shaping a fairer international order,” he wrote on X.
Anwar added that Malaysia would seek closer cooperation with Brazil on trade and investment, as well as stronger links between ASEAN and Latin America.
Brazilian President Lula gave his wife a passionate kiss while celebrating his election win on stage. The 80-year-old veteran politician said he did so to signal that “this victory is not a victory for men alone. It is a victory for men and women.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom has congratulated Lula on his reelection, highlighting shared commitments to “defending democracy, protecting our environment, strengthening workers’ rights, and building an economy that works for working families.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also welcomed the result, declaring that “the people united will never be defeated!”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has congratulated Lula on his victory. “Long live democracy, the people of Brazil won,” she wrote in a short post on X.
Minas Gerais is the only Brazilian state in which the winning candidate changed between the first and second rounds of the election, g1 has reported.
During the initial vote on October 4, Flavio Bolsonaro beat Lula by 48.24% to 43.33%. However, Lula reversed the situation in the runoff on Sunday, gaining a narrow 50.40% to 49.60% victory.
In all of the other 25 Brazilian states, both rounds were won by the same candidate.
Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori has congratulated Lula on his reelection and pledged to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
“As we approach the bicentennial of our diplomatic relations, I reaffirm our willingness to strengthen our strategic alliance, integration, cooperation, and the sustainable development of our shared Amazon region, for the benefit of both our peoples,” she wrote on X.
Flavio Bolsonaro held a private meeting with lawyers and senior campaign aides before announcing that he would contest Lula’s victory, according to Metrópoles.
The meeting was attended by campaign strategist Duda Lima and Senator Rogerio Marinho, Bolsonaro’s campaign coordinator.
“It is impossible to recognize the election results under these circumstances,” he subsequently told reporters.
Lula supporters have gathered at the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to celebrate his reelection.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has congratulated Lula on his reelection, saying “the relationship between Canada and Brazil has flourished under our partnership.”
“Let’s seize this opportunity to make it even stronger, together — to create major new trade opportunities, protect the environment, and build greater prosperity for both our peoples,” he wrote on X.
Brazilian federal lawmaker Duda Salabert, who represents Minas Gerais state, said she had requested the confiscation of Flavio Bolsonaro’s passport and called for his arrest, alleging that he might flee the country to avoid facing multiple investigations.
“We cannot allow him to join his brother in the US to plot against national sovereignty,” she wrote on X.
Aerial footage shows a sea of people celebrating Lula’s reelection on Avenida Paulista in Sao Paulo.
Alex Soros, son of liberal billionaire George Soros and chair of the Open Society Foundations, has celebrated Lula’s reelection.
“Lula Lula Lula! Congrats to Brazil for standing up against authoritarianism once again!” he wrote on X.
Fireworks light up the sky over the Complexo da Penha neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro as residents celebrate Lula’s reelection. Footage circulating online also reportedly captures bursts of automatic gunfire, with local reports claiming that armed criminals fired rifles during the celebrations near the Igreja da Penha church.
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes has urged respect for the election results and called for unity following Lula’s reelection.
“Respect for the will of the people is the foundation of the democratic rule of law,” he wrote on X.
“With the height of the political and electoral disputes behind us, it is time for unity, responsibility, and institutional commitment,” he added.
The leaders of both houses of Brazil’s Congress recognized Lula’s victory and urged him to bridge the country’s political divisions.
“The people are sovereign and have made their choice through the ballot box,” Chamber of Deputies President Hugo Motta said, pledging support for initiatives to improve living standards.
Senate President Davi Alcolumbre said Lula’s task was to “unite Brazil, bring peace to Brazil, and strengthen democratic institutions.”
Lula pledged to regulate digital platforms, accusing major technology companies of trying to influence the election while making billions in revenue without paying taxes in Brazil.
“Crime in the digital world must be treated the same as crime in real life,” he told supporters.
“Brazil is no one’s backyard,” he added, in an apparent reference to US pressure.
During the campaign, Lula’s Workers’ Party accused Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, of favoring Flavio Bolsonaro by restricting the incumbent’s advertising and limiting the reach of posts supporting him.
Meta dismissed the allegations as “simply false and unsupported by the facts,” saying technical problems had affected users beyond Brazil and were not confined to particular accounts.
US Senator Bernie Sanders has congratulated Lula on his “extraordinary reelection victory.”
“Lula has stood up for Brazilian workers and democracy — and will continue to do so in the next four years,” he wrote on X.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has congratulated Lula on his reelection and pledged to strengthen bilateral ties.
“Bolivia and Brazil are neighboring and brotherly countries, united by a shared history and common challenges. We will continue working together to strengthen our relationship and create more opportunities for our nations,” he wrote on X.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also hailed Lula’s victory, declaring: “Long live democracy, the people of Brazil won.”
Vice President Geraldo Alckmin has thanked young and elderly voters following his reelection alongside Lula.
”For the second time, you have saved Brazilian democracy,” he told Lula.
Brazil’s electoral authorities have completed the presidential vote count, confirming Lula’s reelection with 51.79% of valid votes against Flavio Bolsonaro’s 48.21%.
According to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Lula received 64,256,232 votes against Bolsonaro’s 59,826,041, winning by 4,430,191 votes.
All 499,248 polling stations have been counted, although formal certification of the result is still pending.
Flavio Bolsonaro has refused to concede defeat and announced plans to seek the annulment of the presidential election, accusing the Supreme Court of improperly interfering in the vote.
“Brazil cannot accept this dirty trick,” he said in a brief address following Lula’s victory speech, describing Justice Cristiano Zanin’s decision to extend voting hours by two hours as “unacceptable” and equivalent to “changing the rules of the game while the game was being played.”
Bolsonaro accused Zanin, Lula’s former personal lawyer, of acting in the incumbent’s interests, arguing that the last-minute ruling created unequal voting conditions after some polling stations had already closed.
However, Bolsonaro did not mention that his own campaign had also requested extended voting hours in several cities affected by heavy rainfall, while Lula’s team had sought an extension over public transport disruptions across nine states.
“I will not give up on my Brazil, and I hope you won’t give up either,” Bolsonaro told supporters.
Lula has addressed supporters in Sao Paulo, expressing gratitude to Brazilians for his reelection and singling out young people who took to the streets during the campaign.
“Today, my remarks are about gratitude. I would like to thank the Brazilian people and the young people of Brazil who took to the streets for their generosity,” he said.
Lula also pledged to change the way the country is governed, promising citizens a greater say in decision-making.
“We are going to change the way this country is governed. We will give people more say in our decisions,” he said.
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast has spoken with Lula to congratulate him on his reelection, pledging to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
“Chile and Brazil have a shared future ahead, and we will continue working on an agenda that strengthens relations between our countries through economic integration and combating organized crime in the region,” he wrote on X.
Flavio Bolsonaro has yet to publicly concede defeat, while his campaign coordinator, Senator Rogerio Marinho, has condemned the two-hour extension of voting hours as “shameful and ill-timed,” accusing Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin of disrupting the election.
“I sincerely hope common sense prevails and that no judicial coup or administrative trickery succeeds, for the sake of democracy,” Marinho wrote on social media.
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena has congratulated Lula on his reelection, pledging to continue cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
“I salute the Brazilian people for this great democratic day. Paraguay and Brazil share a common agenda of integration and development. We will continue working together for the well-being of our people,” he wrote on X.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has congratulated Lula on his reelection, calling it a “historic victory” for Brazil.
“Dear brother Lula, I congratulate you on behalf of the Cuban government and people on this historic victory, which guarantees the continuation of the path of peace, sovereignty, and social justice embarked upon by the Brazilian people under your leadership,” he wrote on X.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez also congratulated Lula and the Brazilian people, saying the victory “safeguards their sovereignty and ensures the continuity of the struggle for social justice and the well-being of its citizens.”
Bolsonaro ally and federal deputy Danilo Forte has questioned the legitimacy of Lula’s victory, blaming the two-hour extension of voting for making the result “very questionable.”
The Supreme Court’s decision “weakens democracy a lot,” he told reporters, adding that “Brazil loses.”
Forte described the atmosphere at Bolsonaro’s election-night gathering as feeling like “losing a championship.”
Footage from Lula’s campaign headquarters shows him jumping for joy and embracing supporters as they celebrate his reelection victory, with the crowd erupting in cheers and chanting his name.
Lula has secured more than 64 million votes, surpassing his 2022 total and finishing more than 4.3 million votes ahead of Flavio Bolsonaro – more than double his winning margin against Jair Bolsonaro four years ago.
Bolsonaro ally and newly elected congressman Lucas Pavanato has declared that he will not accept defeat in the presidential election.
“Understand this: In this election, we do not accept ‘losing,’” he wrote on X.
Pavanato has also called for the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin over his decision to extend voting hours by two hours.
Lula has secured reelection for a historic fourth term, defeating Flavio Bolsonaro in the presidential runoff, according to preliminary results by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE).
With 99.76% of polling stations counted, Lula has received 51.75% of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.25%, a lead of more than 4.3 million votes.
The TSE has declared the result mathematically decided, with the remaining ballots unable to change the outcome.
Senior judges from Brazil’s Supreme Court (STF) and Superior Electoral Court (TSE) have acknowledged procedural errors in the controversial decision to extend voting hours and expect legal challenges from the losing campaign, Folha de S.Paulo reports.
The judges reportedly criticized delays by both courts that left many polling stations unable to implement the last-minute order, as their electronic voting machines had already been sealed.
Despite the confusion, the judges currently rule out annulling or repeating the election, according to the newspaper.
Brazil’s Federal Police recorded 57 suspected electoral offenses and took 71 people to police stations during the runoff, according to figures released by the force covering incidents up to 7pm Brasília time.
The main suspected offenses involved illegal campaigning and violations of ballot secrecy, Metrópoles reported.
Lula has widened his lead over Bolsonaro to 51.58% against 48.42%, with 90.35% of polling stations counted, according to official electoral figures. The incumbent now leads by more than 3.5 million votes, with just under 10% of polling stations yet to report.
25 October 2026
Cheers erupt in São Paulo as Lula widens his lead over Bolsonaro, with supporters celebrating in the streets, according to footage shared by Metrópoles.
Lula has widened his lead over Bolsonaro to 51.11% against 48.89%, with 75% of the vote counted.
Lula and his supporters celebrate as he retakes the lead over Bolsonaro, with footage shared by Brazilian outlet Metrópoles capturing their jubilant reaction.
Mounted police in riot gear have been deployed to São Paulo’s Paulista Avenue amid heightened tensions surrounding the closely contested runoff, according to footage circulating online.
Lula has widened his lead over Flavio Bolsonaro as the vote count passes 61%, securing 50.55% against his rival’s 49.45%.
The margin has grown to 1.1 percentage points, up from just 0.3 points when slightly over half of polling stations had been counted.
Lula has overtaken Bolsonaro as the vote count passes the halfway mark, securing 50.15% against his rival’s 49.85%, according to official figures.
With 50.76% of polling stations counted, the two candidates are separated by just 186,275 votes.
Brazil’s Federal Police are investigating whether public transport disruptions during the presidential runoff involved criminal offenses, Federal Police investigations director Dennis Cali said.
The probe covers Bahia, Sao Paulo, Piaui, Sergipe, and Alagoas, although a formal inquiry has so far been opened only in Sergipe. Investigators are interviewing people involved in organizing and providing transport services.
The disruptions were among the reasons that prompted the Supreme Court to extend voting hours by two hours.
With 37% of the vote counted, Flavio Bolsonaro maintains a narrow lead over Lula, securing 50.32% of the vote against the incumbent’s 49.68%.
A group of people have moved a car blocking a road in Brazil, according to a video circulating online. Unverified reports claim that Bolsonaro supporters had placed the vehicle there to prevent people from voting.
Unverified reports circulating on social media allege that Bolsonaro supporters set fire to buses to prevent people from voting. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Separately, at least 75 buses were reportedly blocked from leaving their garages in Salvador, prompting an electoral judge to order the arrest of municipal transport secretary Pablo Souza, according to AP.
Flavio Bolsonaro has overtaken Lula in Brazil’s presidential runoff, receiving 50.24% of votes against the incumbent’s 49.76%, with 17% of polling stations reporting.
Prominent right-wing businessman and Flavio Bolsonaro ally Pablo Marçal has accused Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT) of attempting to manipulate the presidential election narrative after a Supreme Court judge controversially extended voting hours nationwide.
Speaking outside Bolsonaro’s election-night headquarters, Marçal denounced the decision by Justice Cristiano Zanin, Lula’s former personal lawyer, as an “absurdity” that had thrown the vote count into confusion.
“The decision arrives at 5:04pm, without notification to the Superior Electoral Court or any state electoral court. The voting machines were already closed, and there is no way to reopen them,” he told reporters.
Marçal argued that Bolsonaro’s campaign had requested an extension in only 17 cities affected by severe weather, questioning why the ruling applied to thousands of municipalities nationwide.
Brazil’s electoral authorities subsequently clarified that the extension applied only to polling stations where electronic voting machines had not already been shut down.
Lula leads with 50.5% against Flavio Bolsonaro’s 49.5%, with 10.4% of polling stations counted.
Counting was paused after the Supreme Court extended voting hours by two hours, with 335,743 votes tallied before the suspension. The decision followed reports that public transport disruptions had prevented some voters from reaching polling stations.
The extension applies only to polling stations where electronic voting machines have not yet been sealed, Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin has clarified, according to Brazilian news outlet UOL.
However, some stations had already sealed their machines before receiving the order, leaving late arrivals unable to cast their ballots.
Incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has taken an early lead over right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential runoff, according to the first figures published by the country’s electoral authorities.
Lula received 57.66% of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 42.34%, with just 0.25% of polling stations counted as of 5:06pm Brasília time.
The extremely limited count does not provide a reliable indication of the eventual outcome, particularly as the nationwide extension of voting hours has disrupted the normal release of results.
The last major opinion polls released before Brazil’s presidential runoff showed Flavio Bolsonaro holding a narrow advantage over incumbent Lula da Silva.
An AtlasIntel/Bloomberg survey published Saturday put Bolsonaro at 50.8% of valid voting intentions against Lula’s 49.2%. The poll surveyed 4,990 voters between October 18 and 23, with a margin of error of one percentage point.
A separate Quaest survey put Bolsonaro at 51% and Lula at 49%, also indicating a tight contest.
Both surveys were conducted before election day and do not represent exit polls or actual votes cast.