Brazil's 2022 presidential election: Lula's defeat of Bolsonaro

Gone quiet · last story Jan 1, 2023

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil's October 30, 2022 runoff, returning to the presidency for a third term after four years of Bolsonaro's far-right government.[1][2] Bolsonaro did not publicly concede, and his supporters blocked roads and called on the military to keep him in power before Lula was sworn in on January 1, 2023.[3][4][5]

What this arc covers

Brazil's 2022 presidential election: the campaign between President Jair Bolsonaro and former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and their debates, the first round in October and the runoff Lula won on October 30, Bolsonaro's silence after the loss and his supporters' road blockades and calls for military intervention, the electoral authority's rejection of his party's push to void votes and the military's report finding no fraud, the transition, and Lula's inauguration on January 1, 2023.

Earliest story we hold Aug 16, 2022 · 19 stories · 105 independent sources (counted once each) · 138 days

Part ofBrazilJair BolsonaroLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Background

The campaign officially began in August 2022 with Lula leading the polls amid concern about political violence and threats to democracy.[6] In their first debate, Bolsonaro accused Lula of massive corruption and drew accusations of "destroying Brazil" in return,[7] and coverage described the vote as one that could determine the fate of the Amazon after record deforestation.[8] In the first round in early October, Lula won the larger share of the vote but fell short of an outright win, and Bolsonaro outperformed polls that had shown him losing badly.[9]

In the final week of the runoff campaign, Roberto Jefferson, a former congressman allied with Bolsonaro, wounded two federal police officers while resisting arrest,[10] and the two candidates repeatedly called each other liars in a bruising final debate.[11] Lula won the runoff on October 30.[1] Truckers who backed Bolsonaro blocked hundreds of roads,[12] and thousands of his supporters gathered outside army headquarters even as he authorized his chief of staff to begin the transition.[4] The defense ministry's report on the election found nothing to substantiate claims of fraud,[13] and the electoral authority rejected Bolsonaro's demand to annul votes cast on most of the country's voting machines over a software bug.[14] Lula was sworn in for his third term on January 1, 2023.[5]

Supporting stories (14)
  1. Lula defeats Bolsonaro to become Brazil's president -- again
  2. Brazil's new leader Lula rises from ashes at 77
  3. Lula's team meets Bolsonaro as Brazil's transition kicks off
  4. Bolsonaro supporters urge Brazil military to keep him in power
  5. Brazil’s Lula sworn in, vows accountability and rebuilding
  6. Campaigning begins in Brazil’s tense Bolsonaro-Lula presidential showdown
  7. Bolsonaro, Lula trade jabs in Brazil debate
  8. Brazil's election could determine the fate of the Amazon after record deforestation
  9. The presidential election in Brazil heads to a runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro
  10. Brazil pol and Bolsonaro ally refuses arrest, injures police
  11. Brazil's Bolsonaro and Lula spar in bruising final debate before vote
  12. Brazil truckers jam traffic to protest Bolsonaro loss
  13. Brazil armed forces' report on election finds no fraud
  14. Brazil election agency rejects Bolsonaro push to void votes

Overview updated Oct 8, 2026

Part of Brazil: Bolsonaro, Lula and Trump

  1. Brazil's 2022 presidential election: Lula's defeat of BolsonaroThis arcAug 16, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023
  2. The cases against Jair Bolsonaro, from the coup plot to his 27-year sentenceDec 13, 2022 – Jul 18, 2026
  3. Trump's 50% tariff on Brazil, which he tied to Jair Bolsonaro's trialJul 9, 2025 – Jul 16, 2026
  4. Brazil's 2026 presidential election: Lula vs. Flávio BolsonaroOct 23, 2025 – Oct 7, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Jan 1– 22023Brazil’s Lula sworn in, vows accountability and rebuilding54 articles · 33 independent sources
9 left, 7 center, 3 right
Nov 22– 242022Brazil election agency rejects Bolsonaro push to void votes25 articles · 14 independent sources
3 left, 2 center, 3 right
Nov 102022Brazil armed forces' report on election finds no fraud7 articles · 6 independent sources
2 left, 1 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Oct 1 – 3, 2022The presidential election in Brazil heads to a runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro112 articles · 44 independent sources
    1. Oct 1, 2022Bolsonaro or Lula? As Brazil prepares to vote, here's what to know
    2. Oct 2, 2022Brazil's presidential election heads to a runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro
  2. Oct 29, 2022Brazil's Bolsonaro and Lula spar in bruising final debate before vote15 articles · 10 independent sources
  3. Oct 30 – Nov 1, 2022Lula defeats Bolsonaro to become Brazil's president -- again184 articles · 61 independent sources
  4. Nov 22 – 24, 2022Brazil election agency rejects Bolsonaro push to void votes25 articles · 14 independent sources
  5. Jan 1 – 2, 2023Brazil’s Lula sworn in, vows accountability and rebuilding54 articles · 33 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Aug 15Sep 12Oct 10Nov 7Dec 5Jan 2

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Aug 15, 20221306
Aug 29, 20221207
Sep 26, 202249344
Oct 3, 20221012557
Oct 17, 202213211
Oct 24, 20221115570
Oct 31, 202216329169
Nov 7, 20222106
Nov 21, 202232325
Dec 26, 202266027
Jan 2, 202333322

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

34% left · 53% center · 13% right of 105 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 19 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. August 2022

    Aug 16Campaigning begins in Brazil’s tense Bolsonaro-Lula presidential showdown7 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right
  2. Aug 29Bolsonaro, Lula trade jabs in Brazil debate9 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  3. September 2022

    Sep 29– 30Bolsonaro and Lula trade barbs in feisty final debate ahead of Brazil election4 articles · 4 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  4. Sep 30– Oct 1Brazil's election could determine the fate of the Amazon after record deforestation8 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right

  5. October 2022

    Oct 1– 3The presidential election in Brazil heads to a runoff between Lula and Bolsonaro112 articles · 44 independent sources
    11 left, 15 center, 6 right
  6. Oct 17Brazil's Bolsonaro, Lula in first head-to-head debate12 articles · 9 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 2 right
  7. Oct 24Brazil pol and Bolsonaro ally refuses arrest, injures police8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 0 right
  8. Oct 24– 28Brazil election: Lula wins vote but runoff with Bolsonaro looms – video9 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 1 right
  9. Oct 28– 30Bolsonaro, Lula make final appeals for votes ahead of Brazil's runoff5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  10. Oct 29– Nov 2Brazil's Bolsonaro tells Supreme Court election 'is over'11 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  11. Oct 29Brazil's Bolsonaro and Lula spar in bruising final debate before vote15 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 2 right
  12. Oct 30– 31Brazil's new leader Lula rises from ashes at 7710 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 1 right
  13. Oct 30– Nov 1Lula defeats Bolsonaro to become Brazil's president -- again184 articles · 61 independent sources
    20 left, 26 center, 8 right
  14. Oct 31– Nov 1Brazil truckers jam traffic to protest Bolsonaro loss12 articles · 11 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 2 right

  15. November 2022

    Nov 2Bolsonaro supporters urge Brazil military to keep him in power8 articles · 8 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 0 right
  16. Nov 3– 4Lula's team meets Bolsonaro as Brazil's transition kicks off15 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 0 right
  17. Nov 10Brazil armed forces' report on election finds no fraud7 articles · 6 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 0 right
  18. Nov 22– 24Brazil election agency rejects Bolsonaro push to void votes25 articles · 14 independent sources
    3 left, 2 center, 3 right

  19. January 2023

    Jan 1– 2Brazil’s Lula sworn in, vows accountability and rebuilding54 articles · 33 independent sources
    9 left, 7 center, 3 right