In the Sunday polls, Luiz Inacio da Silva, also known as Lula, won successfully. As a result, he will take office as Brazil’s new president.
Bolsonaro’s bid for a second term ended when da Silva overtook him after months of intense campaigning. As a result, the left-leaning challenger was imprisoned, causing him to leave the political arena years ago. Da Silva defeated his rivals in the first round of the elections a few months ago. However, when he fell short of the required 50% plus votes, it came down to a fight between him and Bolsonaro.
The presidential election in the nation came down to the wire, with Lula winning 50.9% of the vote to Bolsonaro’s 49.1%. Many polls predicted a large lead for Lula. But because he was ahead in every poll, he could gain support as the election came to a close. On January 1, the newly elected president will formally assume the position.
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A celebration for da Silva supporters
A 33-year-old supporter of the left-leaning challenger, Victor Costelo, expressed his joy at the election’s outcome. After declaring the victor in the official election results, Da Silva’s supporters flooded the streets. Supporters went out, dressed in red, to signify the color of his Workers’ Party. Costelo claimed it gave him hope because he believed in da Silva, and winning the election against an authoritarian presented a better option for the nation.
“I’m really happy. The next four years will be more hopeful for us,” he said.
Photo Credit: Diego Vara
Many of da Silva’s supporters lost hope after the preliminary results were announced, and the government decided to hold a second round. They anticipated better outcomes. Da Silva, however, only received less than 50%, which was insufficient if he wanted to win the presidency.
“We came here expecting to have a party, to get very happy, to have some beers. But now we are going home just to sleep and wait for the next four weeks to see how they go,” said a supporter.
Now that da Silva is finally taking the job, they rejoice. But unfortunately, despite a peaceful election, murders happened during the campaign. Bolsonaro supporters, in one incident, killed four da Silva supporters.
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World leaders congratulate the new president
The political career of Da Silva has been unpredictable. From 2003 to 2010, he was Brazil’s president, serving two terms. But after that, he spent 580 days in prison for graft. The courts’ cases against him were thrown out in 2019, giving him another chance to be the nation’s leader. He eventually won the support of a large number of people, particularly in the left wing. Leaders from around the world quickly congratulated Brazil’s new president.
“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. I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead,” said United States President Joe Biden.
“The people of Brazil have spoken,” said Trudeau.
Photo Credit: Rodrigo Paiva
Source: NPR
