Bolsonaro does not explicitly admit defeat

Created: 2022-11-01Updated: 2022-11-01 10:24 p.m

Jair Bolsonaro spoke for the first time on Tuesday after his election defeat. © Eraldo Peres/AP/dpa

After his electoral defeat by his opponent Lula, Brazil's right-wing President Bolsonaro has been silent for days.

The country is holding its breath.

Now he speaks up.

Brasília - In his first public appearance two days after the elections in Brazil, right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro did not explicitly acknowledge his defeat.

"I want to thank the 58 million Brazilians who voted for me on October 30," Bolsonaro said in a brief statement at his residence in Brasília on Tuesday.

"As President and as a citizen, I will continue to fulfill all the requirements of our Constitution."

However, his head of cabinet, Ciro Nogueira, said Bolsonaro had authorized him to start the process of handing over power in accordance with the law.

However, the so-called transition is regulated by law anyway, and approval by the outgoing government is not required.

According to media reports, he had recently spoken to Lula's head of communications Edinho Silva.

In addition, Lula's future Vice President Geraldo Alckmin phoned Bolsonaro's deputy Hamilton Mourão.

Lula will take office on January 1, 2023.

Lula narrowly wins

Lula received 50.9 percent of the vote in the runoff on Sunday, Bolsonaro got 49.1 percent.

Even before the vote, Bolsonaro had repeatedly expressed doubts about the electoral system and indicated that he might not recognize the result.

Observers feared violent protests from his supporters, some of whom were armed, should Bolsonaro question the election result and speak of manipulation.

Election winner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is now starting a third term.

© Lincon Zarbietti/dpa

In the short speech, the incumbent head of state 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."

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In doing so, he is likely to be targeting his radical supporters, who spoke of manipulation immediately after Lula's election victory and would hardly appreciate an admission of defeat.

On the other hand, during lengthy talks over the past few days, his advisors have apparently made it clear to the head of state that it would be of little use to question the election result.

Allies acknowledge Bolsonaro's defeat

Many of his allies, including the powerful speaker of Parliament Artur Lira, have already acknowledged Bolsonaro's defeat.

Numerous governments abroad also saw the outcome of the election as a fact: almost 90 governments congratulated Lula on his election victory, as reported by the news portal UOL.

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 was announced and accepted," Moraes said.

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

Bolsonaro supporters protest at the side of a highway against his defeat in the presidential election.

© Victor R. Caivano/AP/dpa

However, the supporters of the right-wing head of state did not want to accept this and took the protest to the streets: on Tuesday, the authorities registered over 220 street blockades by Bolsonaro supporters.

The trunk roads are essential for supplying the country, and the majority of goods in Brazil are transported by truck.

Electoral Court President Moraes finally ordered the police to clear the roadblocks.

In some cases, the police used tear gas against the demonstrators.

“The elections are over, we live in a democratic country.

No demonstration will force Brazilian democracy to retreat,” said São Paulo Governor Rodrigo Garcia.

dpa