Brasília

Flávio Bolsonaro, a senator who lost Brazil's 25 Oct presidential runoff to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrived at Opa-locka Executive Airport near Miami on Wednesday, 29 Oct, after leaving Brazil via Argentina and Ecuador. A Gulfstream G400 jet carried the family, and the operation was reportedly planned before the runoff. Brazilian police had cancelled his passports as part of a money laundering and corruption investigation, which he denies. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was not directly involved in the departure arrangements.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won Brazil's presidential runoff held on 25 Oct, taking 51.8% of valid votes against Flávio Bolsonaro's 48.2%, official results show. Lula secures a second term after the Supreme Court extended voting by two hours at his request, though some polling stations had already closed before the extension. Bolsonaro says he will seek to annul the result, while crowds celebrated in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Lula is 81 years old.

Voters in remote Amazon regions travel by canoe to reach polling stations, while long lines form in Rio de Janeiro. Campaign displays include a Lula doll in Brasília. Polling stations extend hours, granting supporters of both Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro two extra voting hours. The contest is expected to be very close between the left‑wing president and the right‑wing senator.