Lula wins fourth term in dramatic Brazil election comeback

Daily Mirror, Rupavahini News, Newsfirst (සිංහල), Newswire and Sri Lanka Mirror report that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil’s presidential runoff against right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Daily Mirror describes Lula as a veteran left-wing politician, while Ada Derana (தமிழ்) identifies Bolsonaro as the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Rupavahini News reports that the Superior Electoral Court declared Lula the winner at about 9 p.m. local time on the 25th, with more than 51% of the vote and over 64 million votes. Newsfirst (සිංහල) gives Lula’s share as 51.75%. Newsfirst (සිංහල) and Newsfirst (தமிழ்) report the result on the 26th.

Rupavahini News reports that Lula had trailed Bolsonaro in the first round on October 4: Bolsonaro received 47.03% and about 56.1 million votes, compared with Lula’s 45.16% and about 53.88 million. The outlet says no candidate exceeded 50%, making a runoff necessary, and notes that votes were also divided among other candidates, including Augusto Cury and Ronaldo Caiado. Rupavahini News and both Newsfirst editions describe Lula’s runoff win after finishing second in the first round as the first such outcome since Brazil’s return to democracy; the outlets date that milestone to 1988 or the 1980s.

Daily Mirror says the campaign was bitterly fought, while Daily Mirror and Newswire describe the result as Lula’s fourth term; Newswire specifies it is non-consecutive. Daily Mirror says Lula faces a hostile Congress and a divided country. Sri Lanka Mirror reports that Lula addressed supporters in São Paulo and said Brazil would not accept being treated as another country’s backyard; the outlet also says Bolsonaro called the result inexplicable.

Lankadeepa reports that Bolsonaro went to the United States with his wife and daughter after money-laundering allegations were made against him. Hiru News (தமிழ்) also reports that the presidential candidate fled to the United States, but provides no further details.