Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has appeared to recognize his defeat in the election against President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, reports The Associated Press. He reportedly told the Brazil Supreme Court that the election was over saying he has "always played within the four lines of the constitution," but stopped short of actually conceding.
The announcement comes two days following Bolsonaro's loss to Lula after publicly casting doubt on the validity of the election throughout his campaign. Many of his supporters blocked roads all over the country in protest, disrupting food supply chains, BBC reports.
His campaign rhetoric led many to believe that he would not accept the results of the election, however, despite not formally conceding, Bolsonaro began the process of transitioning power, giving his chief of staff Ciro Nogueira authorization to take the necessary steps, The Washington Post reports. Lula also tweeted, "I am sure we will have an excellent transition," after speaking with the current president.
This election was the tightest in Brazil since 1985 with Lula winning by a margin of 50.9 percent to 49.1 percent, AP continues. It was also the first time in the country's 34 years of democracy that an incumbent president did not win a second term.
Lula's victory is also a transition from a far-right government to a leftist one, marking a huge change in Brazilian politics. In his victory speech he promised he would "govern for 215 million Brazilians, and not just for those who voted for me."