Lula defeats Bolsonaro to win fourth term as Brazil's president

Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won a fourth term on Sunday, defeating right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro with 51.75 percent of the vote to 48.25 percent, despite losing the first round. The victory blocks a conservative wave across Latin America, backed by US President Donald Trump, and follows a campaign marred by scandal and a last-minute Supreme Court ruling extending voting by two hours. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, overcame his first-round defeat with massive rallies and a revamped social media strategy. Lula faces a divided nation, a hostile right-dominated Congress, and slowing economic growth, with his term ending in 2030 when he will be 85. His campaign emphasized sovereignty against US pressure, while voters remain concerned about cost of living and insecurity.