Brazil's re-elected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva celebrated his 81st birthday on Tuesday, October 27, with dozens of supporters outside the Alvorada presidential palace in Brasília, just two days after winning a closely contested runoff.
The celebration came after Lula secured a historic fourth non-consecutive term on Sunday, October 25, defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The Workers' Party had called on supporters to gather outside the official residence for the birthday event.
Standing behind a birthday cake, Lula blew out the candles, embraced supporters and addressed the gathering from a sound truck. Video published by Euronews showed red Workers' Party flags waving alongside Brazilian flags as the crowd sang and cheered.
The president, still recovering from an exhausting campaign, told supporters he needed to rest his voice. According to Euronews, he also took aim at his defeated rival, questioning why he had reportedly left Brazil so soon after losing Sunday's runoff and wondering what guilt might drive someone to leave their country immediately after an electoral defeat.
With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil's electoral court announced that Lula won 51.8% of the vote, a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes over Flávio Bolsonaro who took 48.2%.
The result is unprecedented in Brazil's recent democratic history. Since Brazil returned to direct presidential elections in 1989, no candidate had ever lost the first round and won the runoff. Lula trailed in the first round on October 4, with 45% to Bolsonaro's 47%.
In a video posted to Instagram on his birthday, Lula pledged to deliver his best term yet. "I'm going to deliver the best term any president has ever served in the history of this country," he said. "I will dedicate 24 hours a day to making this country into the country everyone dreams of."
The runoff was marked by chaos after a last-minute Supreme Court decision to extend voting by two hours. Flávio Bolsonaro has rejected the result and pledged to seek annulment, calling it "impossible to recognize," though his Liberal Party said it acknowledged the results.
His father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for attempting a coup following his 2022 defeat. Lula will be sworn in on January 5, 2027.
