Brazilian President Lula da Silva expressed disappointment Sunday night with the first-round election results, saying the outcome was unexpected. Right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, who led the vote, responded that he is satisfied and that "Brazil wants change," according to Israeli media (N12).
Israel's Channel 12 (N12) reported overnight Monday that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed disappointment with the first-round election results, stating he had been "convinced [he] would win in the first round" and calling the outcome "unexpected." Right-wing challenger Flavio Bolsonaro, who led the vote, said he was satisfied and that "Brazil wants change."
As The Zioneer reported at 01:00 a.m. Jerusalem, early tallies from Brazil's Superior Electoral Court showed Bolsonaro leading with 50.2% of valid votes after 47% of ballots were counted — just above the 50% threshold needed for a first-round victory. But as counting progressed, his lead narrowed. By 03:45 a.m., with 99.55% of votes counted, Lula had closed the gap to 2.7%, and neither candidate crossed the 50% mark, triggering a runoff election set for October 25.
The election holds significant implications for Brazil-Israel relations. As The Zioneer previously reported, Bolsonaro has pledged to move the Brazilian embassy to Jerusalem and restore diplomatic ties, while Lula's administration has been marked by friction with Jerusalem. Final official results remain pending, but the first round has already delivered a narrower-than-expected margin, setting the stage for a competitive second round.
8 developments
- StrongNetanyahu congratulates Flavio Bolsonaro on first-round victory, voices hope for Israel-Brazil ties
- DevelopingNew Brazil poll shows Flavio Bolsonaro closing gap to tie with Lula ahead of October election
- StrongMassive pro-Bolsonaro crowds take to streets on Brazil election day
- StrongBrazil's Lula says he expects Trump not to interfere in Brazil's presidential election
Source and signal
- Open-source intake