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

Brazil's 80-year-old left-wing leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth presidential term, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro in a runoff election with over 51% of the vote, according to official results with 96% of ballots counted. Lula, who previously served three nonconsecutive terms, beat the 45-year-old right-wing senator who had promised closer ties with President Trump. Election day was chaotic, with voting extended by two hours after both campaigns cited logistical issues, though some polling stations had already closed their machines. Bolsonaro is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing to Lula in 2022. The election drew international attention for its implications on the Amazon rainforest and Brazil's democracy, with Lula's focus on social spending prevailing in a sharply divided country.