Bolsonaro's Party accepts Brazil election defeat, but he refuses to concede

Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro speaks after the presidential election runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Oct. 25, 2026. Eraldo Peres/AP hide caption Eraldo Peres/AP BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil's Liberal Party, the party of defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, has acknowledged the results of Sunday's presidential election, recognizing incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's victory. But Bolsonaro himself has yet to formally concede defeat. The party's president, Valdemar Costa Neto, said in a statement Monday that the party recognizes the election results but believes "questions raised about the vote" still need to be clarified. The concession came as President Donald Trump questioned the election's legitimacy, telling reporters Monday, "I didn't take sides, but it looked like another rigged election." Trump offered no evidence of fraud. Bolsonaro initially said he would seek to annul the election results, citing alleged irregularities, including a last-minute extension of voting hours. On Sunday, the Supreme Court ordered polling stations to remain open for two additional hours, until 7 p.m., following an appeal by Lula's campaign, which cited p...