US president congratulates Lula on Brazil election win

ISTANBUL

US President Joe Biden congratulated Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Sunday for winning Brazil’s presidential runoff, edging out incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a tightly contested race.

“I send my congratulations to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections," Biden said in a statement.

"I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead," he added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also congratulated the people of Brazil “for exercising their right to vote and reaffirming the strength of their democracy.”

Blinken stressed that they look forward to continuing their strong partnership with Lula “as we build a democratic, prosperous, and equitable hemisphere.”

Lula beat Bolsonaro in what some have called the country’s most important polls since its return to democracy.

He will become Brazil's 39th president on Jan. 1, 2023 after serving as the nation’s 35th president from 2003 to 2010.