Former president Lula da Silva wins second round of Brazil's presidential elections

BRASILIA - Former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party (PT) won the second round of presidential elections on Sunday and is going to serve a four-year term beginning on Jan. 1, 2023.

According to figures released by the Superior Electoral Tribunal, Lula da Silva obtained 59.8 million votes, or 50.86 percent of the vote, surpassing current President Jair Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL), who received 57.8 million votes, or 49.14 percent.

This is the smallest difference in a second-round presidential election in Brazil's history.

In the first round held on Oct. 2, Lula da Silva obtained 48.3 percent of the vote, compared to 43.2 percent received by Bolsonaro.

Lula da Silva focused his campaign on social issues, making pledges including minimum wage increases, strengthening of state-owned companies, and efforts against hunger and poverty.