Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro files petition challenging election results

After Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly won in Brazil's presidential elections last month, outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has filed a petition to formally challenge the poll results, CNN reported.

In the petition filed on November 22, Bolsonaro and the leaders of his Liberal Party claimed that some voting machines had malfunctioned and demanded the annulment of votes cast through them. Following the election results, Bolsonaro has not accepted his defeat in the presidential elections. However, he had said previously that he will continue to "fulfil all commandments of the constitution."

The complaint revealed that removing those votes will make Bolsonaro win the elections, Labour Party claimed citing analysis conducted by a company hired by them, as per the CNN report. In response to Bolsonaro's petition, Brazilian election authorities have said that the same voting machines were utilised during the first round of elections.

 

The election authorities stressed that Bolsonaro and his party must modify their complaint and include the results of the first round of elections to initiate the legal procedure, CNN cited CNN Brasil's report. Chief Justice of Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court, Alexandre Moraes has given 24 hours' deadline to Bolsonaro and his petitioners to modify their complaint.

In the elections, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received over 60 million votes, which is the most in Brazilian history. According to Brazil's electoral authority, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva secured 50.90 per cent of the vote while Bolsonaro received 49.10 per cent votes. Addressing supporters on October 30, he said, "they tried to bury me alive and I am here," as per the CNN report.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced that he will govern the nation from January 1, 2023. It will be his third term as he has been Brazil's President for two consecutive terms between 2003 and 2010. He made a comeback in presidential elections after a series of corruption allegations leading to his imprisonment for 580 days.

However, the Supreme Court annulled the sentences announced against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. World leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, congratulated Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for winning Brazil's presidential elections.

"Starting on January 1, 2023, I will govern for the 215 million Brazilians, not just the ones who voted for me. There are not two Brazils. We are one country, one people, one great nation," CNN quoted Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as saying.