After election defeat against Lula: Bolsonaro wants to “respect the constitution”

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Jair Bolsonaro

Photo: Eraldo Peres / dpa

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro wants to "respect" the constitution after his defeat in the presidential election.

Bolsonaro announced this at his first public appearance after the runoff election on Sunday in the capital, Brasilia, without explicitly admitting his defeat.

"I want to thank the 58 million Brazilians who voted for me on October 30," Bolsonaro said.

His chief of staff, Ciro Nogueira, said afterwards that the president had "authorized" the handover of office to election winner Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The far-right incumbent narrowly lost to his challenger in the presidential election at the weekend.

So far he has remained silent, fueling speculation that he might not accept the result.

In his speech, Bolsonaro now also mentioned his supporters, who have blocked numerous highways across the country in the past few days.

"The current demonstrations are the result of outrage and a sense of injustice at the way the electoral process was conducted," Bolsonaro said. "Peaceful demonstrations will always be welcome."

In the runoff election on Sunday, Lula received 50.9 percent of the votes, the right-wing incumbent received 49.1 percent, according to the electoral office.

Bolsonaro had repeatedly expressed doubts about the electoral system before the vote.

The President of the Supreme Electoral Court, Alexandre de Moraes, had already informed both Lula and Bolsonaro about the result by telephone on election night.

"The result has been announced and accepted," Moraes said.

Those elected would take office on January 1st.

The Inter-American Union of Electoral Authorities observer mission called the elections free, fair and transparent and found no evidence of manipulation.

Argentina's President Alberto Fernández traveled to the neighboring country on Monday to personally congratulate Lula.

The two men met at a hotel in São Paulo and hugged, according to a video posted by Fernández on Twitter on Monday.

"All my love, admiration and respect, dear comrade," wrote the Argentine head of state.

sak/dpa/AFP