Lula defeats Bolsonaro in Brazil's presidential runoff

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won the runoff election against right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, securing another term with 51.75% to 48.25% of votes, according to the Supreme Electoral Court. The 80-year-old incumbent's victory came after a tense campaign in Latin America's largest democracy, where polls had shown both candidates tied at 50%. Lula's team positioned him as a guarantor of democratic stability, while Bolsonaro promised drastic tax cuts and a crackdown on crime. Bolsonaro had pledged to pardon his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was sentenced to 27 years in prison in 2025 for involvement in coup plots. Lula's previous term saw mixed economic results, with reduced unemployment but persistent inequality and rising living costs.