Tarcísio acknowledges Lula's win but vows to challenge 'excesses'

São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas publicly acknowledged Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's victory in the 2026 presidential election, two days after the result, while vowing to criticize alleged excesses. In his first comments on the election, Tarcísio thanked defeated candidate Flávio Bolsonaro for the campaign and stated that recognizing the result does not mean staying silent about "excesses," citing government machine use and judicial interference. The governor, a longtime Bolsonaro family ally, said the country remains "fractured and divided" and called for opposition unity to rigorously scrutinize Lula's campaign promises and fiscal policies.