Voters in Brazil head to polls as Lula goes up against Bolsonaro's son

Daily Mirror, Newsfirst and Newswire report that Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake congratulated Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his reported victory in Brazil’s presidential election. Lankadeepa and WhatNews (සිංහල) say Dissanayake posted his message on X. Daily Mirror and Newsfirst report that he presented the result as a rejection of corruption, division and political deception; Lankadeepa and WhatNews (සිංහල) report his criticism of political dynasties and appeals to the past.

Rupavahini News reports that Lula, a left-wing politician, defeated right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro in the runoff, winning more than 51% of the vote and receiving over 64 million votes. It says Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court declared him the winner at about 9 p.m. local time on the 25th. Sri Lanka Mirror also reports Lula’s victory and describes the contest as close.

Rupavahini News says Lula had trailed Bolsonaro in the first round on October 4, with Bolsonaro receiving 47.03% and about 56.1 million votes, against Lula’s 45.16% and about 53.88 million. It reports that no candidate passed 50%, requiring a runoff, and describes Lula’s win as the first time since Brazil’s return to democracy in the 1980s that a candidate who placed second in the first round won the runoff. Rupavahini News and WhatNews (සිංහල) describe Lula’s win as his fourth presidential victory.

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 reports Bolsonaro described the result as inexplicable. Ada Derana (සිංහල) reports a response from Lula to Dissanayake’s congratulatory message, but its report provides no details of that response.