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

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office, defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro with 51.79% of the vote in Sunday's runoff election. Lula becomes the first president since Brazil's return to civilian rule in 1985 to win after losing the first round, which Bolsonaro took with 47% to Lula's 45% on October 4. Bolsonaro has refused to recognize the result and called for it to be annulled, though electoral law experts say such a challenge is unlikely to succeed. The Supreme Court extended voting by two hours after both campaigns cited logistical issues, and abstention dropped to its lowest level between rounds since 1989. Lula, who turns 81 on Tuesday, will serve until 2030, facing tensions with US President Donald Trump and a regional trend toward right-wing governments.