Brazil's Lula da Silva Addresses Supporters Following Presidential Election Win

Lula da Silva addressed supporters in the Brazilian capital Sao Paulo following his election victory over President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday, October 30.

In his speech, da Silva thanked supporters, saying Bolsonaro had used “the machine of the Brazilian state to try to prevent us from winning the elections.”

“This is not a victory for me, or for the [Workers Party], or for the parties that supported me in this campaign,” da Silva said. “This is the victory of a huge democratic movement … that was formed above political parties, personal interests, ideologies, so that democracy would win.”

Describing the election as “historic”, Da Silva said, “the majority of the Brazilian people made it very clear that they want more, not less, democracy.”

Lula had secured 50.8 percent of the vote with 99 percent of votes counted, while Bolsonaro received 49.1 percent, according to Brazil’s electoral authority.

Da Silva was previously Brazil’s president from 2003 until 2010. Credit: Lula da Silva via Storyful