Lula marks 81st birthday in Brasília after tight reelection win

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrated his 81st birthday on Tuesday, October 27, with dozens of supporters outside the Alvorada Palace in Brasília, two days after winning a tight reelection. Lula blew out candles on a birthday cake, embraced supporters, and addressed the crowd from a sound truck, with red Workers' Party flags waving alongside Brazilian flags. Recovering from an exhausting campaign, he said he needed to save his voice but criticized defeated rival Flávio Bolsonaro for leaving Brazil shortly after losing Sunday's presidential runoff, questioning what guilt might drive someone to flee after an electoral defeat. Lula also accused the Bolsonaro family of being overly loyal to the United States. A senior U.S. State Department official said Washington would grant visas to Flávio Bolsonaro and family, though it was unclear if they had left Brazil. Bolsonaro, who rejects the election result and made unfounded fraud claims, faces investigation for corruption, money laundering, and tax evasion. A Supreme Court order required him to surrender passports by Tuesday noon, but compliance was unknown. His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for attempting a coup after his 2022 defeat.