Brazil Elections 2022: In a stunning comeback, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva beats Jair Bolsonaro

It’s the comeback of a lifetime for Lula. Brazilian voters narrowly elected Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a revered but divisive leftist former president, in national elections on Sunday. The former union leader received 50.9% of the vote, compared to 49.1% for the far-right incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro.

The outcome should bring an end to a grueling and divisive election season. Instead, it puts this country of 200 million people on edge, waiting to see how Bolsonaro responds. A former army captain, now elected as the president, has spent the last few years stressing that a loss in these elections would be unacceptable to him.