Lula wins fourth term as Brazil's president, defeating Bolsonaro

Brazil's left-wing leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won the presidential election, defeating far-right rival Flavio Bolsonaro by a narrow margin and securing a fourth term as president. With nearly all votes counted in Sunday's runoff, Lula received 51.76 percent of the vote against Bolsonaro's 48.24 percent, a result that contradicted several opinion polls that had favored Bolsonaro. The 80-year-old Lula previously served as president from 2003 to 2010 and won a third term four years ago. The voting process was marked by controversy, as a Supreme Court judge ordered a two-hour extension as polling stations were closing. Lula's new term begins January 5, 2027, amid challenges including strained relations with the United States and domestic economic concerns.