Lula defeats Bolsonaro in Brazil's presidential runoff

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won re-election on Sunday, defeating conservative challenger Flávio Bolsonaro in the presidential runoff, according to the country’s electoral authority, keeping Latin America’s largest economy under left-wing leadership. With over 78% of votes counted, Lula led with 51.21% against Bolsonaro’s 48.79%, a result seen as a setback for US President Donald Trump’s allies in the region. Bolsonaro, a senator and son of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, had campaigned on closer ties with Washington, while Lula criticized US tariffs and drug-trafficking designations. The runoff was a rematch between sharply polarized camps, with differences spanning US relations, crime, climate policy, and social welfare. Lula, who governed from 2003 to 2010, sought an unprecedented fourth term, while voting was extended nationwide by two hours due to a Supreme Court order.