Brazilian Lawmaker Bolsonaro Demands Election Annulment After Lula's Victory

Brazilian lawmaker Flávio Bolsonaro demanded the annulment of Sunday's presidential runoff after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was declared the winner, alleging Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin improperly extended voting hours. He vowed legal action, saying the election outcome cannot be recognized under these circumstances. Zanin, a Lula appointee and former personal attorney, ordered polling places to remain open two extra hours following Lula's campaign complaint about bus shortages in key states like Bahia and São Paulo. The electoral court confirmed Lula's re-election for a term starting Jan. 5, 2027, with court head Kassio Nunes Marques stating the extension affected counting but not the final result. The dispute echoes the 2022 election, when Jair Bolsonaro refused to accept his loss to Lula and was later convicted of plotting a coup after supporters stormed government buildings. Nunes Marques, appointed by the former president, denied delaying the extension request and said transportation shortfalls will be investigated.