Bolsonaro accepts his defeat without formally conceding

(Image credit: Andressa Anholete/Getty Images)

published 2 November 2022

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.

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Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.

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