The Brazilian presidential elections continued on Sunday, October 25, with the voting time extended until 7 PM local time (2200 GMT). This decision was made by the Brazilian Supreme Court and gave voters an additional two hours to participate in the elections.
Reasons for the extension of voting time
This extension was made due to complaints from Lula's team, the current president, regarding issues with public transport services and people's access to polling stations. Lula stated that 40 percent of buses in São Paulo, Brazil's largest city, were out of service, which hindered many people's ability to vote. He said, "We ask the Supreme Court to extend the election process so that those who could not vote due to the mayors' unpleasant tricks can register their votes."
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On the other hand, Bolsonaro's team also complained about weather conditions in some areas, which they claimed made it difficult for people to participate in the elections. Meanwhile, Bolsonaro is trying to encourage voters to participate in the elections and promises them changes.
Support for Lula outside Brazil
According to published statistics, Brazilians residing in Germany have strongly supported Lula, with him receiving 79.09 percent of the votes from 20,923 voters in that country. This figure shows an increase compared to the 71.9 percent he received in the first round of the elections. Berlin has shown the most support for Lula, with 88.77 percent of the votes from this city in his favor.
While the final results of the elections are expected to be announced quickly, the Brazilian Electoral Court has predicted that the winner of this election will be announced between 8:30 PM and 9:00 PM local time.
Challenges and consequences
The elections in Brazil are considered an important event not only for the country but also for the world. Given the importance of the Amazon for the health of the planet, the results of this election could shape the future of this region. Meanwhile, officials and observers are seeking to maintain calm and respect the election results. The President of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court, Eduardo Fachin, emphasized the need to respect the will of the people, stating, "All power originates from the people and their choices must be respected."
The elections in Brazil are taking place amid significant challenges, including police violence and an economic crisis. While some observers predict that Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of the former president, may refuse to accept Lula's victory, this raises concerns about the potential for violence.
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