Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro breaks silence, won’t contest election result

Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro broke his silence nearly two days after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected president.

In a short statement made Tuesday afternoon, the incumbent thanked voters and said he would continue to respect the country’s constitution and not contest the result. However, he did not explicitly concede defeat.

“I have always been labeled as anti-democratic and, unlike my accusers, I have always played within the four lines of the constitution,” Bolsonaro said.

In the run up to the election, he repeatedly claimed the country’s voting system was prone to fraud but did not provide evidence after being ordered to do so by an electoral court.

Soon after his Tuesday remarks, his chief-of-staff Ciro Nogueira said the process of transition would begin.

Bolsonaro has not called da Silva to concede, breaking a tradition in the country, according to reports. Meanwhile, President-elect Lula has already had discussions with other world leaders, like President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Bolsonaro’s short statement came as tensions have risen in Brazil, with supporters setting up roadblocks in protest, leading to disruptions in travel and trade. His backers have also called for a military intervention and for other branches of the government to be dismantled to keep Bolsonaro in office.

Brazil’s supreme court ordered the roadblocks cleared Tuesday in the interest of national security.

With News Wire Services