Lula wins historic fourth term as Brazil's president

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won an unprecedented fourth term on Sunday, according to the country's electoral court, in a shock result that defied polls and slowed a right-wing wave across Latin America. Lula, an 80-year-old leftist icon, defeated Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, after finishing second in the first round. Better-than-expected turnout powered his victory, with voters choosing his familiar record of reducing poverty over the senator's novelty. Lula's fourth term faces significant challenges, including Brazil's most conservative Congress since the 1980s, which may limit his agenda and threaten impeachment. He also confronts an economy forecast to grow just 2.3 percent next year, with public debt above 82 percent of GDP.