Lula wins fourth term as Brazil’s president, beating Flávio Bolsonaro in runoff

Updated on: October 25, 2026 / 8:48 PM EDT / AP

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a vocal critic of President Trump, was reelected Sunday in a result that provides relief to critics of Mr. Trump and keeps some distance between Latin America's biggest economy and Washington.

With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil's electoral court announced that the soon-to-be 81-year-old Lula held an unassailable lead. The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours. That decision by a Supreme Court justice may trigger legal action by opponent Flávio Bolsonaro.

His triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-center presidential candidates allied with Mr. Trump have been winning, further extending the United States' influence in the region. Lula's victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America's two most populous nations, with left-of-center leaders. It also positions Latin America's largest economy, with a GDP of $2.6 trillion per year, to remain independent of the U.S., despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Mr. Trump.

The announcement kicked off a celebration of supporters in and out of the Sao Paulo hotel where Lula…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/