Bolsonaro calls for Brazil election result to be annulled

Brazil's defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro refused on Sunday to recognise the victory of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, saying "It is impossible to acknowledge the result" and that he would request annulment of the election. Bolsonaro said he would lodge a formal appeal on Monday with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), accusing Lula of abuse of power and improper campaigning. The dispute followed a Supreme Court ruling by Justice Cristiano Zanin, issued before polls closed, extending voting by two hours at the request of both candidates, after bus shortages in Bahia and São Paulo and heavy rains in the south. Electoral court head Kassio Nunes Marques said he had called both candidates, congratulated them, and confirmed Lula's re-election, with a term beginning January 5, 2027. The electoral court announced Lula held 51.8% of the vote, a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes. Lula said Brazilians voted to "guarantee democracy" and promised regulation of big tech platforms.

Where accounts differ. The Buenos Aires Times reports Nunes Marques said the extension affected vote counting but not the result, while The Hindu gives no such statement; The Hindu alone reports the Rio polling machines were switched off and could not be restarted, and that the decision delayed tallying by two hours.

Buenos Aires TimesThe Hindu

Written by AI from these outlets' articles: facts they report, claims attributed, numbers checked against the sources. It may still contain errors; read the originals.