Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected Brazil¡¯s president in a dramatic comeback for the left-wing politician who was languishing in a jail cell just three years ago on corruption charges.
He defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro by less than 2 percentage points in Sunday¡¯s runoff vote, according to the official tally. It signals a change in direction for Latin America¡¯s largest economy after a heated campaign that showed extreme polarization among the electorate, and marks the first time a sitting president in Brazil has lost a re-election bid.
U.S. President Joe Biden quickly congratulated da Silva, who is often referred to only as Lula, on his victory. Brazil¡¯s lower house Speaker Arthur Lira did the same, saying the ¡°will of the majority must not be challenged.¡±
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