Brazil Bolsonaro's hint: Not leaving power

 

Of: 

 

Emil Forsberg 

 

Published: Today 08.15 

 

Updated: Today 08.54 

 

NEWS 

 

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly leads in the Brazilian presidential election. 

 

Now Jair Bolsonaro is hinting that he will not hand over power in the event of a loss. 

 

- I understand that there is a desire from the population for change, but some changes can be for the worse, says the president. 

 

Brazil's presidential election will go to a second round after left-wing politician Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva failed to secure an overall majority. 

 

With more than 99.5 percent of the votes counted, Lula managed to pick up 48.3 percent of the votes against Bolsonaro's 43.3. 

 

- The fight continues until our final victory. We will win this election, the leftist leader said when he met the media at a hotel in São Paulo. 

 

Defeated Bolsonaro exceeded expectations, shocking a large group of red-clad, samba-dancing Brazilians in Rio de Janerio who had hoped Lula da Silva would squeeze out an easy victory. 

 

 

Bolsonaro hints that he does not intend to hand over power in the event of a loss. Photo: AP

 

 

"Stronger than we thought" 

 

- I am disappointed, because we saw that Bolsonaro is stronger than we thought he was, says the 23-year-old university student Kharine Gil to The Guardian. 

 

During the election campaign, Bolsonaro has repeatedly claimed that the country's electronic voting machines are vulnerable to fraud and hinted at calling for a military-supervised vote count. 

 

After the vote count on Sunday, he said once again that Brazil must avoid following neighboring countries such as Chile and Colombia that recently elected leftist leaders, but declined to answer questions about possible voter fraud. 

 

"Understand that many people want change" 

 

Bolsonaro has indicated he will not leave his post if he is defeated, raising fears of a Trump-like uprising among his supporters if Lula wins, The Guardian writes. 

 

Dissatisfaction with the far-right leader is great and he is accused, among other things, of pursuing a devastating climate policy and causing the death of 700,000 Brazilians during the corona pandemic. 

 

In his speech, he highlighted the country's problems and warned of the risks a new government could bring. 

 

- I understand that there were many votes cast because of the condition of the Brazilian people, who feel that prices are rising, especially basic products. I understand that many people desire change but some changes can be for the worse. 

 

The results of the second round will be presented in four weeks.

 

 

Celebrations last night among Bolsonaro supporters. Photo: Ton Molina / AP