Bolsonaro demands Brazil election results be annulled after Lula's win

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was reelected on Sunday, defeating challenger Flávio Bolsonaro by nearly 4.4 million votes, with 51.8% of the total vote. Bolsonaro refused to concede and called for the results to be annulled. Bolsonaro challenged the election after a last-minute court decision extended voting by two hours, a move both candidates had requested. The electoral court confirmed Lula's victory, which marks his non-consecutive fourth term beginning January 5, 2027, and leaves Mexico and Brazil with left-of-centre leaders. Lula's win bucks a trend of right-of-centre candidates allied with Donald Trump in Latin America, positioning Brazil's $2.6 trillion economy to remain independent of U.S. pressure. The 81-year-old Lula, who previously spent time in prison on annulled corruption convictions, faced a tough battle over cost-of-living and security concerns.