Bolsonaro ultimately would not explicitly concede in his speech and did not say that Lula was the victor in the contest. He did, however, say that he would obey the constitution of Brazil. Bolsonaro's chief of staff then took the microphone for a brief moment to say that Lula would become president as would normally happen.
Bolsonaro's delayed response to the election results sparked trucker blockades across the large South American country. Reportedly, some of those who blocked the streets called for a military coup to prevent Lula from becoming president.
In the capital city, Brasilia, police shut down traffic access to central government buildings and the esplanade after supposed tips that supporters were planning to occupy the square in from of the Supreme Court, which many believe acted in favor of Lula after it annulled his criminal convictions.
Bolsonaro won 49.17 percent of the vote compared to 50.83 by da Silva. Da Silva, a former president himself, was convicted in 2017 for money laundering in a major operation that saw many South American politicians and executives arrested.
Yesterday, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke with President-Elect da Silva "to offer his congratulations on his election," a statement from the White House said.
"During the call, President Biden commended the strength of Brazilian democratic institutions following free, fair, and credible elections. The two leaders discussed the strong relationship between the United States and Brazil, and committed to continue working as partners to address common challenges, including combatting climate change, safeguarding food security, promoting inclusion and democracy, and managing regional migration."
