Lula defeats Trump ally in Brazil’s presidential election: As it happened
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has received congratulations from Latin American nations and fellow BRICS members after winning reelection as Brazil’s president.
Lula prevailed over right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of jailed former President Jair Bolsonaro and an ally of US President Donald Trump, in the second round of the vote on Sunday.
The 80-year-old veteran politician secured 51.79% of valid votes against Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, according to the completed count published by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), winning a historic fourth term by more than 4.4 million votes.
The victory means Latin America’s largest economy is set to maintain its prominent role in BRICS rather than shift closer to Washington under the Bolsonaro political dynasty. The defeated challenger had openly questioned Brazil’s membership in the bloc, accusing Lula of using it to antagonize the United States.
Addressing jubilant crowds in Sao Paulo, Lula thanked Brazilians for his reelection and singled out young people who had taken to the streets during the campaign.
“Today, my remarks are about gratitude,” he declared, pledging to give citizens a greater say in government decisions. “We are going to change the way this country is governed.”
However, Bolsonaro has refused to concede defeat and vowed to seek the annulment of the election, accusing the Supreme Court of improperly interfering in the vote.
“Brazil cannot accept this dirty trick,” he declared, denouncing the last-minute decision to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours as “unacceptable” and equivalent to “changing the rules of the game while the game was being played.”
The controversial ruling by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, Lula’s former personal lawyer, followed complaints from the incumbent’s campaign that public transport disruptions had prevented voters from reaching polling stations.
However, Bolsonaro did not mention that his own campaign had also requested extended voting hours in several cities affected by severe weather.
The decision came shortly after the original 5 PM deadline, when many polling stations had already closed and sealed their electronic voting machines. Senior judges have reportedly acknowledged procedural errors in handling the extension but ruled out annulling the election, according to Folha de S.Paulo.
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26 October 2026
10:59 GMTRussia welcomes Lula’s victory in the Brazilian presidential election, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov has said.
“He contributes a great deal not only to the development of bilateral relations, but also to the advancement of processes within BRICS and other organizations,” Peskov told journalists.
Moscow “hope[s] that all these processes will continue in the future,” he added.
- 10:22 GMT
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent greetings to Lula, whom he called a “dear friend,” upon his being reelected as Brazil’s president.
“The results of the vote fully confirm that your fellow citizens recognize your outstanding leadership qualities and support the course you have pursued towards the country’s sustainable social and economic development, as well as the protection of its sovereignty and legitimate interests on the global stage,” Putin said in a message published on the Kremlin website.
The Russian leader also mentioned Lula’s upcoming 81st birthday and wished him “good health, happiness, prosperity, and continued success in your public service for the benefit of the friendly Brazilian people.”
- 09:14 GMT
Beijing has commented on the Brazilian election results, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun saying “we extend our congratulations” to Lula.
China “stands ready to work with Brazil to continue advancing the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future,” Guo stressed. The two nations are the founding members of the BRICS group, together with Russia and India.
- 08:48 GMT
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has congratulated Lula on his reelection and praised Brazilians for their participation in the election.
“May we continue working together in this renewed four-year period for a more integrated and prosperous Latin America,” he wrote on X.
- 08:33 GMT
Eduardo Bolsonaro, the younger brother of defeated Brazilian presidential contender Flavio Bolsonaro, has issued a video statement on X, saying that “we will never give up the fight.”
He claimed that Lula’s victory in the election was “statistically impossible” as never before in the country’s history has a candidate lost the runoff after winning in the first round.
The vote was “fraudulent,” Eduardo Bolsonaro insisted. “This is a message to you: do not recognize this election.”
WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP THE FIGHT This is what happened in Brazil’s election - and this is just the beginning. Share this video👇 https://t.co/2c7oqWXlOZ
— Eduardo Bolsonaro🇧🇷 (@BolsonaroSP) October 26, 2026 - 08:15 GMT
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is among the latest leaders to congratulate Lula, saying that Brazilians have “expressed their support for... strengthening national sovereignty, enhancing Brazil’s standing as a major global power.”
I congratulate you, President @LulaOficial, on your well-deserved victory in the presidential election. The Brazilian people have expressed their support for your policy of strengthening national sovereignty, enhancing Brazil’s standing as a major global power, advancing reform of the United Nations, and promoting a world order based on justice.
— Qasym-Jomart Toqayev (@TokayevKZ) October 26, 2026 - 07:46 GMT
Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi has spoken with Lula following his reelection, describing the Brazilian leader as “a friend.”
“I congratulated him on his victory and on the celebration of democracy that an electoral process represents,” he wrote on X.
- 07:39 GMT
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim praised Lula’s commitment to social justice and poverty reduction as he welcomed his reelection.
“I have always valued our friendship, and I share his conviction that the Global South must have a stronger voice in shaping a fairer international order,” he wrote on X.
Anwar added that Malaysia would seek closer cooperation with Brazil on trade and investment, as well as stronger links between ASEAN and Latin America.
I extend warmest congratulations to @LulaOficial on your re-election as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil for a historic fourth term. Your historic reelection will allow you and your party to build on the progress achieved over the previous term and to pursue a future of greater opportunity for all Brazilians. Guyana and Brazil enjoy strong and enduring bonds of friendship, mutul respect and cooperation. I look forward to continuing our close collaboration to strengthen bilateral relations, deepen regional integration, expand trade and investment, and advance our shared commitment to sustainable development and regional prosperity. I congratulate President @LulaOficial and the people of Brazil on this important democratic milestone and extend my best wishes for continued peace, progress and prosperity.
— President Dr Irfaan Ali (@presidentaligy) October 26, 2026 - 07:05 GMT
Brazilian President Lula gave his wife a passionate kiss while celebrating his election win on stage. The 80-year-old veteran politician said he did so to signal that “this victory is not a victory for men alone. It is a victory for men and women.”
Brazilian President Lula: This victory is not a victory for men alone. It is a victory for men and women. To show that women are a vital part of this victory, I invite Alckmin to join me in kissing our wives. Kissing is perhaps the most beautiful expression between people who love each other. So I want to tell you: I love you.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 26, 2026 - 06:44 GMT
California Governor Gavin Newsom has congratulated Lula on his reelection, highlighting shared commitments to “defending democracy, protecting our environment, strengthening workers’ rights, and building an economy that works for working families.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also welcomed the result, declaring that “the people united will never be defeated!”
The people united will never be defeated! Congratulations, President Lula.
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) October 26, 2026
