In a big comeback, Lula wins the Brazilian runoff against Bolsonaro

On Sunday, Lula narrowly won the presidency for the third time, with a 50.9% vote compared to 49.1% for his opponent, right-wing Bolsonaro.

In a big comeback, Lula wins the Brazilian runoff against Bolsonaro

Brazil, the world's fourth-largest democracy, has been going through a heated election with incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro and left-wing leader Liz Inácio Lula da Silva neck-in-neck. Earlier this month, neither candidate won more than half of the vote, so the country held a runoff election to decide the new leader.

On Sunday, Lula narrowly won the presidency for the third time, with a 50.9% vote compared to 49.1% for his opponent, right-wing Bolsonaro. This is a big comeback for Lula, who was sentenced to 12 years in jail for a corruption scandal three years ago. Global leaders congratulated Lula for his wins, including US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and Latin American leaders. The new government made promises to reunite the country, end hunger, re-industrialize the economy and preserve the Amazon rainforest.

Under former President Bolsonaro, Brazil faced massive rainforest damage and mishandling of the COVID response. But, during Lula's former presidency from 2003 to 2010, he helped lift many out of poverty and became the country's hero. He launched his run for president with broad support after his prison release, campaigning as a defender of democracy. Bolsonaro hasn't conceded yet or commented on the election results.

Key comments:

"I consider myself as someone who's been resurrected," said Lula in his first speech as president-elect in Sao Paulo. "They tried to bury me alive."

"Congratulations brother," said Bolivian President Luis Arce. He added, "Your victory strengthens democracy and integration in Latin America."

"Lula's challenge of governing is bigger than that of winning the election. Brazilian society needs to be rebuilt in its institutional and fiscal basis," said Carolina Botelho, a political scientist with the Institute of Advanced Studies at Sao Paulo University. "Lula will need to recover the internal and external trust of financial agents and civil society."

"I send my congratulations to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections," said US President Joe Biden in a statement. "I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead."

"Lula's main challenge will be to reconcile the divergent interests from the broad group that supports him," said Paulo Gama, a political analyst at brokerage firm XP Inc.

"What defines this election is a rejection of Bolsonarismo," said Christian Lynch, a political scientist at the State University of Rio de Janeiro.