Brazil’s Bolsonaro silent on Lula election victory until Tuesday

BRASILIA - President Jair Bolsonaro will not publicly address his defeat in Brazil’s presidential election until Tuesday, a minister said, amid doubts over whether the far-right nationalist will accept the

victory of his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Mr Bolsonaro was holding off on making remarks so he could prepare a speech, Communications Minister Fabio Faria told Reuters. But it was not clear if Mr Bolsonaro would concede defeat, as his allies were encouraging him to do.

Brazil is on edge, with pro-Bolsonaro truckers setting up roadblocks throughout the country to protest Mr Lula’s return to power. Some truckers posted videos calling for a military coup.

The protests that spread from the first roadblocks in farm states did not immediately disrupt grain shipments by the top food producing country, but agricultural lobbies warned they may eventually affect exports.

Brazil’s federal highway police said 321 protests had partially or fully blocked roads in 26 states. Truckers – who have benefited from Mr Bolsonaro lowering diesel costs – are one of the president’s key constituencies, and they have been known to disrupt

Brazil’s economy when they shut down highways.

In Brasilia, police shut off traffic access to the central government esplanade on a tip that Bolsonaro supporters were planning to occupy the square in front of the Supreme Court, which they consider has acted to favour Mr Lula.

Mr Bolsonaro spent Monday at the presidential palace without appearing in public. Prior to the vote he repeatedly made baseless claims the electoral system was open to fraud.

His eldest son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, tweeted thanks to his father’s supporters, and said: “Let’s raise our heads and not give up on our

Brazil! God is in charge!”

Mr Faria, the communications minister, said Mr Bolsonaro was working with his solicitor general to determine measures to clear the highways.

The truckers were hoping Mr Bolsonaro would endorse their roadblocks, but the president’s political aides were urging him to accept his electoral defeat to quell the spreading protests, a senior staffer at his campaign headquarters said.

Mr Bolsonaro’s former infrastructure minister Tarcisio de Freitas, elected to be governor of Brazil’s most populous state Sao Paulo, said that congratulating Mr Lula for his victory was part of democracy.

The outgoing president has yet to call his rival to congratulate him on becoming Brazil’s next president.

Mr Lula’s win represents a stunning comeback for the 77-year-old former metalworker, who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 but then spent time in prison for corruption convictions that were later annulled.

Mr Lula has vowed to overturn many of Mr Bolsonaro’s policies, including pro-gun measures and

weak protection of the Amazon rainforest.

Environmentalists and sustainable investors cheered Mr Lula’s victory and his commitment to protect the rainforest and restore Brazil’s leadership on climate change. Even before he is due to take office on Jan 1, President-elect Lula will send representatives to next month’s COP27 United Nations climate summit in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, allied environmentalist Marina Silva said on Monday.

In his victory speech on Sunday evening, Mr Lula pledged to strongly police illegal logging, mining and land grabbing that have driven the surging destruction of the Amazon rainforest in the past four years under Mr Bolsonaro. REUTERS