Bolsonaro senior, a former captain in the army, was sentenced to 27 years in prison after military officials testified that he had attempted to plan a coup with other officers, though he was placed on house arrest in March due to ill health.
The race was tight enough to force a run-off after a first round of voting on October 4 put Bolsonaro narrowly ahead, with 47 per cent of the vote to Lula’s 45 per cent.
However, a second vote between just the two leading candidates over the weekend saw the result reverse, with Lula winning 51 per cent, beating Bolsonaro on 48 per cent.
Supporters of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrate in São Paulo after he won Brazil's general election on October 25, 2026 (Getty Images)Getty Images
Counting was delayed for several hours after the Supreme Court granted the Lula campaign’s request for a voting extension, citing travel issues in some major cities, leading to some confusion at polling stations.
The result was welcomed by Lula’s established allies around the world, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who wrote on X: “Europe’s partnership with Brazil is thriving. We will remain by your side for the years to come.
“Together we will keep working closely for free and open trade. A rules-based global order. And strong ambitions for our climate.”
However, Bolsonaro has refused to concede defeat, claiming the result was tainted by “Lula’s friends in the Supreme Court” and calling for the election to be “annulled”.
The result was also criticised by Donald Trump Jr, son of the US president, who said: “If a conservative government in Brazil did this, everyone in the mainstream press in America would lose their minds, but I guess they’re just choosing to be silent because it’s all for the cause.”
Presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro (C) speaks in Brasilia after his defeat in Brazil's general election on October 25, 2026 (Getty Images)Getty Images
Notably, the vote bucked the unfolding trend of right-wing, pro-Israel candidates making electoral gains across Latin America, including national wins for Javier Milei in Argentina, Nasry Asfura in Honduras and Keiko Fujimori in Peru.
Lula, conversely, has been a trenchant critic of Israel, accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza, which he compared to “when Hitler decided to kill the Jews”.
Under his leadership, Brazil announced last year it would join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), supporting the allegation of genocide.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry is yet to comment on the outcome, but has previously accused the president of “desecrating the memory of the 6 million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust,” adding: “We will not forget nor forgive.”
