Lula Secures Fourth Term; Flávio Bolsonaro Demands Vote Annulment
The incumbent president defeated his son's challenger in a result the far-right faction claims was invalidated by extended voting hours.
By Vanessa Lopez ·
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated Flávio Bolsonaro to win a fourth term as president of Brazil. The result ends a close election cycle and places the left-wing incumbent back in power for a record-breaking tenure. Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, rejected the outcome on the same day the results were tallied.
Flávio Bolsonaro requested that the election results be annulled. He pointed to a decision by a supreme court justice as the primary cause for the dispute. That justice had ordered an extension of voting hours during the election. Jair Bolsonaro previously refused to accept his own defeat to Lula four years ago. He later attempted a coup and was convicted of the attempt.
Tom Phillips, reporting from São Paulo, said the Bolsonaro camp’s reaction matched his expectations. He noted that world leaders are already recognizing Lula’s victory. Phillips stated he does not believe Flávio Bolsonaro has a realistic chance of overturning the result. He described the win as the peak of Lula’s 50-year political career. Phillips noted that Lula was the first elected working-class leader in Brazil. He said the president helped millions of citizens escape poverty.
In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces sealed off Hebron following a gun attack on a military checkpoint. Two Israeli soldiers died in the attack on Friday. The city of 250,000 people remains closed as elections approach in Israel. The neighborhood of Farsh al-Hawa, which is closest to the checkpoint, was flattened by military operations.
The Hebron municipality reported that 370 families were displaced. This group includes nearly 2,000 people. The Israeli army stated in official comments that the population left voluntarily. Yousef al-Jabari, the mayor of Hebron, called the operation collective punishment. He said the state dragged people from their homes and blocked media access to the district. Al-Jabari accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using Palestinian land to displace residents for political goals.
Zeinab Faraj, a 21-year-old photographer, described being targeted during an attack in Lebanon. She found herself buried under rubble next to a dying colleague. She said her heart stopped when she heard a drone descending toward them. She described the sound as terrifying and unlike anything she had heard before. The Israeli military said they identified saboteurs violating the ceasefire. Human rights groups labeled the attack a war crime.
Mary Peltola, a Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Alaska, delayed campaign stops after a car crash. She suffered minor injuries while driving to an event. Her family and the occupant of a second vehicle were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Peltola is seeking to become the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the Senate in nearly two decades.
The US administration is disputing the Alaska result before the final tally. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice. The suit seeks to block certification of the Senate results if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan loses. The lawsuit alleges voter confusion could arise because two candidates named Dan Sullivan appear on the ballot. Donald Trump campaigned for Mike Rogers, a Republican candidate in Michigan. He described rapper Nicki Minaj as having a beautiful body during a rally.
Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat in Serbia after serving for 12 years. A student-led movement that protested his government for two years forced his removal. Celebrations broke out in Belgrade streets upon the news. Eric Bauza, the voice actor known for Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, died at age 46. He died at home from hypertensive cardiovascular disease.
Source: The Guardian
