“We are going to request the annulment”: Flávio Bolsonaro rejects Brazil election result

Right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro has refused to concede Brazil’s presidential runoff, announcing that he will formally ask the courts to annul the result after losing to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“It is impossible to recognize the election results in the context of how these things happened,” Bolsonaro said. “We are going to use our legal team, we are going to request the annulment of these elections.”

The dispute

The row centers on a last-minute ruling by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin. Just three minutes before voting was due to end, Zanin extended voting nationwide by two hours.

Both campaigns had asked for more time. Lula’s team cited public transit delays in areas where he is strong. Bolsonaro’s team pointed to heavy rains that disrupted voters in the south, where he is favored.

Bolsonaro nonetheless argued the extension “changed the rules in the middle of the game.” His allies also noted that Zanin once served as Lula’s personal defense lawyer.

The result

The ruling delayed the tally and caused confusion at polling places. Brazil’s electoral court nonetheless finalized the count, handing Lula a fourth term.

The win is a historic turnaround for Lula, who is 80. He narrowly lost the first round to Bolsonaro earlier this month before winning the runoff.