Lula takes lead over Bolsonaro in Brazil runoff as votes from northeast arrive

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva overtook right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in Sunday's runoff election, with half of votes counted and ballots from Lula's northeastern stronghold arriving. Pollsters said higher-than-expected turnout appeared to boost Lula, with AtlasIntel CEO Andrei Roman telling Reuters he would be re-elected. The federal electoral court has yet to call a victor, but Lula allies claimed victory on social media. Conservative candidates typically perform well early, while leftists improve as votes from poorer northeastern states arrive. Lula snapped back with about 50% counted by 8:30 p.m. Brasília time, after Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, formerly Lula's lawyer, extended voting in three Bahia cities due to public transportation issues. Zanin's ruling paused the count for two hours and could draw legal challenges, as losing side might contest the outcome. The election follows 2022 fallout when Jair Bolsonaro refused to concede, leading to government building invasions and his 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup. Trump declined to endorse a candidate, saying "we are watching."