Brazil’s Bolsonaro will not challenge results of presidential election

Brasilia: Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has no plans to challenge the results of the presidential election and will officially admit his defeat later in the day, Brazilian Communications Minister Fabio Faria told Reuters on Tuesday.
Ahead of his address to the nation, Bolsonaro will meet with justices of Brazil’s Supreme Court, Faria was cited as saying.
The incumbent Brazilian leader has been silent for over 36 hours after his loss in Sunday’s presidential election, thus breaking the tradition of congratulating a victorious opponent, media reported.
Brazil held a general election on October 2. In the race for the presidency, the country’s former leader, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, received 48.4% against 43.2% for Bolsonaro. Since none of the candidates managed to get over 50% in the first round, a runoff was held October 30.
According to official results from Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court, released after 100% of the ballots were processed on Monday, Lula got 50.9% of the vote, securing victory over the sitting president, who won 49.1% of the vote.
Lula, 76, will now become the leader of Brazil for the period of 2023-2027. This will be his third term. Lula headed Brazil for two consecutive terms in 2003-2010, but a series of corruption allegations resulted in his imprisonment. He began serving his 12-year sentence in 2018, but Brazil’s Supreme Court later annulled the case and Lula was released from prison in 2019. (UNI/SPUTNIK)