On the morning after the Brazilian election, defeated right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro remained silent on whether he would accept his election defeat. “I would just like to be happy, but I’m partly concerned,” said his newly elected successor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. “I need to know if the president we defeated will allow for a peaceful transition.”
In Sunday’s second round, Lula received 50.9 percent of the vote, Bolsonaro received 49.1 percent, according to the electoral bureau. Allies tried to talk to him that night, but he fell asleep, Brazilian news portal G1 reports.
Lula: “Tried to bury me alive, but I’m here”
However, after the razor-thin victory of former head of state Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, uncertain times are dawning for Brazil. Lula announced that she wanted to reconcile the extremely divided country. “I will rule for 215 million Brazilians,” said the 77-year-old. “There are not two Brazil, but one people.” Now is the time to restore peace. “They tried to bury me alive, but I’m here,” he said.
Video: Reactions to Lula’s Election Victory in Brazil
While supporters of the left-wing Workers’ Party (PT) celebrated the victory, there were also protests from Bolsonaro supporters. Truck drivers set fire to tires and blocked highways. In the town of Belo Horizonte, a Lula supporter was shot dead during a party at a bar. Both Lula and Bolsonaro supporters followed the vote count there. It was initially unclear whether the act had a political background.
Bolsonaro’s allies accepted defeat
Bolsonaro also showed teeth in advance: he had previously sowed doubts about the electoral system and indicated that he might not accept the result. He did not comment on the election results for the time being, but at least several of his allies, including powerful parliament speaker Artur Lira, acknowledged the defeat of the incumbent president.
Putin also congratulated on the election victory
The election winner received congratulations from all over the world. US President Joe Biden tweeted that he congratulated Lula “on his election as Brazil’s next president after free, fair and credible elections”. Council President Charles Michel mentioned peace and stability, prosperity and climate change as areas of cooperation. Russian President Vladimir Putin also welcomed the election victory. “The results of the vote have confirmed your high political authority,” he wrote. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen sees Lula’s appointment as an “opportunity to protect our most valuable rainforests and for serious climate protection. Not just for Brazil, but around the world.”
Lula as hope for climate protection
The election in Latin America’s largest economy also has enormous international significance. As a huge carbon reservoir, the Amazon plays an important role in the fight against global climate change. In addition, Brazil is an important trading partner with its natural resources, high share of green energy and large agricultural economy. However, due to his blockade on climate protection and his idiosyncratic corona policy, Bolsonaro had recently isolated the country from the world stage. “Brazil is back,” Lula said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
