Fireworks, blaring car horns and chants of “Lula, Lula” filled São Paulo’s iconic Paulista Avenue as thousands celebrated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s victory in Sunday’s presidential runoff.
Supporters waved Brazilian flags, danced, sang and embraced one another, some overcome with emotion. The celebrations stretched into Monday, while similar scenes unfolded in other cities across Brazil.
The left-wing president won 51.8% of valid votes, compared with 48.2% for Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, securing a fourth term with a margin of roughly 4.4 million votes, according to the Superior Electoral Court.
Lula’s victory came after he overturned a first-round deficit against his right-wing challenger. Bolsonaro, however, has refused to accept the outcome and said he would seek to have the result annulled.