SAO PAULO—Former Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday defeated incumbent Jair Bolsonaro to become the country’s next president, Brazil’s electoral authority said.
Leftist Lula had 50.8 percent of votes compared with 49.2 percent for conservative Bolsonaro with 99.1 percent of voting machines counted, which the Supreme Electoral Court said was enough to “mathematically define” the outcome of the race.
Lula has vowed a return to state-driven economic growth and social policies. He also promises to combat destruction of the Amazon rainforest, now at a 15-year high, and make Brazil a leader in global climate talks.
A former union leader born into poverty, Lula organized strikes against Brazil’s military government in the 1970s. His two-term presidency was marked by a commodity-driven economic boom….