Brazil’s anti-Israel president wins re-election, defying polling showing right-wing victory

Brazil’s incumbent president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, hangs onto power despite polls that predicted former President Jair Bolsonaro’s son winning in the second round of voting.

By World Israel News Staff

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a surprise reelection victory Sunday, defeating pro-Israel conservative Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested presidential runoff that dashed hopes of a diplomatic rapprochement between Brazil and Israel.

With all votes counted, Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court reported that Lula, 80, received 51.79% of the vote, compared to 48.21% for Bolsonaro, a 45-year-old senator and the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula won by approximately 4.43 million votes, securing an unprecedented fourth nonconsecutive term.

The result marked a remarkable reversal for Lula, who finished behind Bolsonaro in the first round of voting earlier this month. It was the first time since Brazil’s return to democracy that a presidential candidate overcame a first-round deficit to win a runoff.

Celebrating his victory, Lula described the outcome as a rejection of his opponent’s political movement.

“This was a defeat for denialism and lies,” he told supporters, while promising to govern for all Brazilians and defend the country’s independence.

“This country will not accept being anyone’s backyard,” he declared.

Bolsonaro, however, refused to acknowledge his defeat and announced plans to challenge the election results in court.

“It is impossible to recognize the results of the election,” he said, arguing that a last-minute judicial decision extending voting hours by two hours had compromised the integrity of the process.

“We will ask for these elections to be annulled,” he added.

The extension was ordered by Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin following complaints about transportation disruptions and severe weather. Both campaigns had requested additional voting time, although some polling stations had already closed when the decision was issued.

Brazilian electoral authorities declared the election valid, and legal analysts said Bolsonaro faced significant obstacles in overturning a result decided by millions of votes.

The outcome also carries considerable implications for Israel, whose relations with Brazil deteriorated sharply under Lula’s previous administration.

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war following Hamas’ October 7, 2023, massacre, Lula has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide. In February 2024, he compared Israel’s military campaign against Hamas to the Holocaust, drawing furious criticism from Israeli officials.

His government subsequently withdrew Brazil’s ambassador from Israel, while diplomatic relations deteriorated further in 2025 when Brasília declined to approve a replacement Israeli ambassador. Israel responded by downgrading diplomatic relations.

At the United Nations General Assembly in September, Lula again condemned Israel’s conduct in Gaza, continuing a policy that has made Brazil one of the Jewish state’s most outspoken critics.

Bolsonaro, by contrast, campaigned as a staunch supporter of Israel, frequently displaying Israeli flags at political rallies and promising to relocate Brazil’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

During a visit to Israel earlier this year, he reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

“We appreciate and love Israel,” Bolsonaro said. “We support Israel’s right to defend itself in every way.”

The senator also visited Samaria and prayed at the Western Wall during the trip.

His political and religious allies had anticipated a victory celebration in Jerusalem. Estevam Hernandes, Bolsonaro’s personal pastor, told Ynet shortly before the election that plans were being prepared for a possible visit to Israel in November, including a celebration at the Western Wall.

Lula’s victory also interrupted a broader political shift toward conservative governments across Latin America, where right-wing candidates have recently won presidential elections in several countries.

For Trump, who has sought closer relations with conservative governments in the region, Bolsonaro’s defeat represents a setback. Lula has frequently criticized Washington’s policies, particularly US tariffs and what he describes as American interference in Brazil’s domestic affairs.

Despite his victory, Lula faces substantial domestic challenges. Conservative parties and Bolsonaro’s allies secured strong representation in Congress, potentially complicating his efforts to advance economic and social legislation.

Brazil also faces rising public debt, persistent concerns about living costs and demands for tougher measures against crime.

Speaking after the election, Lula acknowledged the country’s deep political divisions but promised to govern beyond his own political base.

“I have to govern for 215 million,” he said, emphasizing his responsibility to Brazilians regardless of how they voted.