Lula wins Brazil runoff, Bolsonaro rejects result

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won the runoff election against his right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, according to preliminary results. Bolsonaro has refused to acknowledge the outcome, calling the process "inacceptable." The dispute centers on a nationwide two-hour extension of voting hours, approved by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin, a former Lula lawyer, until 7 p.m. local time. Bolsonaro's campaign had requested extensions only for specific states, arguing the broader change violated electoral fairness between regions. The runoff capped a deeply polarized campaign in Latin America's largest democracy, with both candidates polling at 50 percent. Lula, turning 81, positioned himself as a defender of democracy and sovereignty, while Bolsonaro, 45, campaigned on crime-fighting and economic reform, drawing inspiration from regional right-wing leaders like Argentina's Javier Milei.