Iowa; Brazil: US President Donald Trump has questioned the integrity of Brazil's presidential election, claiming the process appeared compromised and presented a "terrible look" globally after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated far-right candidate Flávio Bolsonaro in a closely contested run-off.
Speaking to reporters in Andrew, Iowa, Trump said elections should be beyond suspicion and expressed scepticism about the conduct of the Brazilian vote.
"Well, it looked terrible to me. I thought it was terrible-looking. I didn't take sides, but it looked like another rigged election, frankly. I didn't take sides, but it was a terrible look for the world. It's another election - you know, elections have to be indisputable. And it looked very bad to me. I didn't take sides, I didn't endorse anybody or anything, but I watched the election and it looks so - so corrupt. So terrible," Trump said.
Trump made the allegations without providing evidence and echoed claims by Bolsonaro, who refused to concede despite losing by more than four million votes.
Asked whether he intended to intervene or take any action over the election, Trump said his responsibilities lay with the United States. He also referred to his personal rapport with Lula while questioning the vote-counting process.
"Well, I'm not running Brazil, I'm running the USA. And I just thought that the election was — I like Lula. I get along with him very well. I just think it had a very bad look, the election, the way it was tabulated. You know, with the extension given, it was very strange," Trump added.
Brazilians on Monday, 26 October, expressed mixed reactions along Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo following Lula's election victory, as financial markets tumbled and Trump questioned the result's legitimacy.
Retired resident Ricardo Pieroni, 75, said he was surprised by Lula's victory and felt emotional about the outcome, but expressed concern about market instability.
Brazil's real fell 8.1per cent against the US dollar, marking its biggest one-day drop since 2002, while the stock exchange recorded its steepest decline since 2020, according to market data.
Bank employee Jose Firmino, 54, warned that relations between Brazil and the United States could deteriorate significantly during Lula's fourth term.
Consultant Roberto Coelho, 45, welcomed the result, citing the preservation of workers' rights. However, he noted that the Senate's shift to the right would pose challenges to Lula's legislative agenda.
Lula, an 80-year-old former factory worker and leader of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT), secured a fourth non-consecutive term in office in a political comeback. Neither candidate secured the majority needed to avoid a run-off in the first round.
According to Al Jazeera, Lula's victory ends a string of electoral successes by far-right candidates across Latin America, who have benefited from anti-incumbent sentiment, concerns over crime and promises of close collaboration with Trump.
The result defied opinion polls and broader global anti-incumbent trends. However, analysts warned that Lula faces an uphill battle with a Congress dominated by Bolsonaro allies.
Lula thanked voters for supporting him, highlighting the role of young people and those who turned out to defend democracy.
"My eternal gratitude to the Brazilian people, to the youth who took to the streets in defense of democracy, and to every person who made an immense effort to vote and defend the future of our country. You all move me and renew my hope. This victory belongs to a people who believe, who fight, and who never give up on building a more just, sovereign, and democratic Brazil," Lula said.
(With agency inputs from ANI & Reuters)