Bolsonaro Breaks His Silence But Does Not Publicly Concede Election Defeat

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro breaks his silence but does not publicly concede the election last Tuesday, November 1, 2022. During his brief speech at the presidential palace in Brasilia after losing the election to Lula da Silva, he stated that he would continue to fulfill all of the constitution's commandments.

He refused to congratulate or recognize his opponent's victory, but his chief of staff indicated that his administration would not challenge the election result.

Bolsonaro was defeated by Lula by a margin of 2.1 million votes, 50.9% to 49.1%, and dozens of world leaders quickly recognized Lula's victory.

Bolsonaro Breaks His Silence But Does Not Publicly Concede On Losing The Election

COPYRIGHT_WI: Published on https://washingtonindependent.com/bolsonaro-breaks-his-silence-but-does-not-publicly-concede/ by Tyrese Griffin on 2022-11-03T01:06:21.528Z

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's president, breaks his silence but does not publicly concede. His administration, on the other hand, signaled a willingness to hand over power two days after a nail-biting election loss to leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and amid speculation that the far-right incumbent would challenge the result.

Bolsonaro is said to have told members of Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday that his election campaign against da Silva is over. Earlier, he said in a brief speech at the presidential palace:

According to Supreme Court Justice Luiz Edson Fachin, after a private meeting with Bolsonaro, the conservative leader said: "It's all over. So, let's take a look ahead." The justice made the remark in a video broadcast on local television.

In a subsequent statement, the Supreme Court said that during the "cordial and respectful meeting," the justices told Bolsonaro that it is critical that he recognize the election results as well as the Brazilian people's right to free movement. Pro-Bolsonaro protesters have caused widespread gridlock in the country.

Mr. Bolsonaro's ardent supporters, who refuse to accept his defeat, have erected hundreds of roadblocks in all but two Brazilian states. Mr. Bolsonaro referred to them as "current popular movements" in his speech, calling them "the fruit of indignation and a sense of injustice over how the electoral process unfolded."

Earlier, in his first public comments since the results were announced, Bolsonaro did not concede, but his chief of staff told reporters shortly afterward that the conservative leader had authorized him to begin the process of handing over power.

Bolsonaro Vs. Lula Election Results

According to the nation's electoral authority, Bolsonaro had 49.1% of the vote to da Silva's 50.9% in Sunday's race. It was the closest presidential race since Brazil's return to democracy in 1985, and it was Bolsonaro's 1st loss in his 34-year political career.

The fiery leader, flanked by more than a dozen ministers and allies as he delivered a two-minute speech at the presidential residence, did not mention the election results. Instead, he defended his position and stated that he supports ongoing trucker protests that have erected nationwide roadblocks as long as they do not turn violent.

US President Joe Biden and other international leaders, as well as some of Bolsonaro's closest allies, have publicly acknowledged da Silva's victory. Cabinet members, governors-elect, and evangelical leaders who were vocal supporters of Bolsonaro are now courting the incoming leftist government.

He has claimed that electronic voting machines are prone to fraud, much like former US President Donald Trump, whom Bolsonaro openly admires. Even after the electoral court ordered him to do so, he has not provided any proof.

Many of his supporters also claimed that the election was rigged, and some called for military intervention as well as the dissolution of Congress and the Supreme Court.

Court Orders Protesters Be Removed

Hamilton Mourao, Bolsonaro's chief of staff and Vice-President, has begun to contact the Lula camp to discuss a transition. Other allies, including the speaker of the lower house of Congress, have called on the Bolsonaro administration to respect the results.

Brazil's Supreme Court said in a statement that by authorizing the government transition, Bolsonaro was recognizing the outcome of the election.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes demanded that the PRF remove all of the blockades, which were primarily organized by truckers, a key constituency of the Bolsonaro government who benefited from the government's reduction in diesel prices.

Moraes was joined by six other justices in a virtual session in the early hours of Tuesday, forming a majority in the 11-member court to back his decision, imposing fines on the PRF's director-general, Silvinei Vasques, if he did not act to remove the roadblocks.

Key roads used to transport grains from farm states to ports, as well as a major road connecting the two largest cities, have been closed. The Brazilian supermarket lobby reported supply issues and urged Bolsonaro to address the issue before store shelves began to empty.

Conclusion

Mr. Bolsonaro thanked the more than 58 million people who voted for him despite his defeat in the election. He did not explicitly concede defeat, but the event appeared to signal his willingness to cooperate with the power transfer.

Meanwhile, Lula has sprung into action to address a long list of priorities, including strengthening state agencies tasked with protecting Brazil's environment and Indigenous territories, as well as uniting a deeply divided nation.

About The Authors

Tyrese Griffin - Tyrese started her education in the performing arts at the prestigious Alexander Hamilton Academy in Los Angeles. She returned to civilian life after serving in the United States Army as a tracked vehicle operator, and started writing short stories and screenplays, as well as directing short films and music videos. She has published six novels, which have sold over 200,000 copies, as well as audiobooks and short stories for anthologies, and has earned several awards.