Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won the Brazilian election, narrowly beating Jair Bolsonaro, official figures show.
It has been Brazil’s most polarised election in recent memory, pitting far-right incumbent President Bolsonaro against leftist former leader Lula da Silva.
On his victory, Mr da Silva tweeted simply the word: “Democracy.”
Colombian president Gustavo Petro wrote: “Viva Lula” while Argentina’s leader Alberto Fernandez said the victory ushered in a new era “for the history of Latin America”.
He added: “A time of hope and future begins today.”
Image: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva The election, in the world’s fourth-largest democracy, served as a referendum on two starkly different – and vehemently opposed – visions for Brazil’s future.
Mr Bolsonaro vowed to consolidate a sharp rightward turn in Brazilian politics after a presidency that witnessed one of the world’s deadliest outbreaks of COVID-19 and widespread deforestation in the Amazon basin.
Image: Jair Bolsonaro Mr da Silva promised more social and environmental responsibility, evoking the rising prosperity of his 2003-2010 presidency, before corruption scandals tarnished his Workers’ Party.
More than 120 million Brazilians were expected to cast ballots, with the vote conducted electronically.