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Politics
Harry Fletcher
Oct 31, 2022
Lula wins Brazil’s presidential election, ousting incumbent Bolsonaro
CBC
The people of Brazil have a new president, after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the left-wing Worker’s Party defeated Jair Bolsonaro in a knife-edge election.
While incumbent Bolsonaro has yet to concede, 98.8 per cent of the votes have been tallied and Lula has 50.8 per cent and Bolsonaro 49.2 per cent.
The election authority said the result was a mathematical certainty, which means that Lula will return to the post after 12 years away.
He was president from 2003-2010, and the return is even more remarkable given that the 77-year-old’s 2018 imprisonment over a corruption scandal sidelined him from that year’s election.
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The result brings to an end Bolsonaro four years of far-right politics, as Lula promised to restore the country’s more prosperous past but faces headwinds in a polarised society.
\u201cDemocracia.\u201d— Lula 13 (@Lula 13) 1667170202
\u201cLula's victory is the best news we've had all year. Bolsonaro was a threat not only to the lives of Brazilians, but to life on Earth. Some of the harm he did can be reversed. Some is irreparable. But at least he's out.\u201d— George Monbiot (@George Monbiot) 1667200733
\u201cIf you\u2019re just waking up this side of the world. Some Breaking positive news. Yes, positive, hopeful, news. Lula da Silva has beaten Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil\u2019s 2022 presidential heated election. A huge win for democracy, the environment and the planet. Finally, a light of hope.\u201d— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@Dr. Jennifer Cassidy) 1667198513
\u201cFantastic news not just for Brazil but for the whole world. https://t.co/mgkGSDrE7m\u201d— Pete Wishart (@Pete Wishart) 1667200722
\u201cOf course Steve Bannon is already trying to protect Bolsonaro, and it\u2019s crying \u201celection fraud\u201d in Brazil too:\u201d— Nath\u00e1lia Urban (@Nath\u00e1lia Urban) 1667199442
\u201cd\u2019ja see this, did anybody see this? a man-sized case of super covid was admitted to a hospital in brazil after testing positive for jair bolsonaro\u201d— man it\u2019s a hot zone, (@man it\u2019s a hot zone,) 1667192910
\u201cMe to the Brazilians who voted out Bolsonaro\u201d— Jack Vines (@Jack Vines) 1667201535
\u201cTune in tomorrow where Trump says he doesn't even know who Bolsonaro is.\u201d— martin mailloux (@martin mailloux) 1667194794
\u201cBolsonaro joins Trump in being a loser.\u201d— Ben Rhodes (@Ben Rhodes) 1667189353
\u201cWhen Trump endorsed Kelly Loeffler \u2014 she lost. When Trump endorsed David Perdue \u2014 he lost. When Trump endorsed Madison Cawthorn \u2014 he lost. And when Trump endorsed Jair Bolsonaro \u2014 he lost. An endorsement from Trump is the kiss of death both in this country and around the world.\u201d— Dash Dobrofsky (@Dash Dobrofsky) 1667188145
\u201cHearing that Bolsonaro lost AFTER trump gave him his "complete and total endorsement" is a complete and total chef's kiss. #ETTD \ud83e\uddd1\u200d\ud83c\udf73\ud83e\udd0c\u201d— BrooklynDad_Defiant!\u262e\ufe0f (@BrooklynDad_Defiant!\u262e\ufe0f) 1667186400
\u201cHere\u2019s the 2022 Brazilian Presidential election by municipality. Both candidates clearly had their bases, with Lula racking up massive margins in the northeast and Bolsonaro doing well in the southern parts. Lula is the first person to beat an incumbent President in Brazil.\u201d— Joey Mauro (@Joey Mauro) 1667200635
US president Joe Biden and French president Emmanuel Macron congratulated the new leader on his victory.
The result has sparked a big reaction across the world – here are the biggest memes and reactions.
Brazil’s new president elect dedicated his victory to the people of the country in a tweet containing a photograph of crowds, Lula said: “The reason for my victory was the dedication of each of you. Who believed in freedom and in the possibility of recovering the country for the Brazilian people.”
\u201cA raz\u00e3o da minha vit\u00f3ria foi a dedica\u00e7\u00e3o de cada um de voc\u00eas. Que acreditaram na liberdade e na possibilidade de recuperarmos o pa\u00eds para o povo brasileiro.\n\n\ud83d\udcf8: @ricardostuckert\u201d— Lula 13 (@Lula 13) 1667188380
Meanwhile, Bolsonaro has raised concerns that he might contest the result given he’s so far failed to concede.
“So far, Bolsonaro has not called me to recognize my victory, and I don’t know if he will call or if he will recognise my victory,” Mr Lula said to his supporters celebrating his win in Sao Paulo.
Bolsonaro openly discussed refusing to accept the results of the vote back in 2021, making baseless claims that Brazil’s electronic voting system was vulnerable to fraud.
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