Brazilian voters chose left-wing former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva over right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro by a narrow margin of 50.9% to 49.1% in Sunday’s runoff election. While world leaders congratulated Lula on his victory, Bolsonaro did not make any public statements by Monday afternoon. 

Key Quotes: Lula congratulated those who “went to the polls, who consented to fulfill their civilizing commitment of citizenship,” adding, “above all, I want to congratulate the people who voted for me because I consider myself a citizen who had a process of resurrection in Brazilian politics because they tried to bury me alive and I’m here.”

For Context: Lula was imprisoned for 580 days on corruption charges following his first two terms as president, but the charges were annulled in 2021 by the country’s Supreme Court. While Lula won by wide margins in Brazil’s northeast, Bolsonaro won in the wealthier southern region. Many speculated whether Bolsonaro, often compared to former U.S. President Donald Trump, would also try to overturn his country’s election results. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was widespread across the spectrum, often calling the election “divisive,” “stunning,” and “fiercely contested.” Many framed the result as a victory for South America’s political left. While Fox News (Right bias) joined many left-rated outlets in asking, “will Bolsonaro accept the results?”, a Daily Wire (Right bias) headline labeled Lula an “Ex-Con.”