Lula wins fourth term as Brazil’s president over Bolsonaro’s son

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has won a fourth term (Andre Penner/AP)

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was re-elected on Sunday in a result that provides relief to critics of US President Donald Trump and keeps some distance between Latin America’s biggest economy and Washington.

With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court said the soon-to-be 81-year-old Mr Lula held an unassailable lead.

The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours.

That decision by a Supreme Court justice may trigger legal action by opponent Flavio Bolsonaro.

His triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-centre presidential candidates allied with Mr Trump have been winning, further extending the United States’ influence in the region.

Mr Lula’s victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America’s two most populous nations, with left-of-centre leaders.

It also positions Latin America’s largest economy, with a GDP of 2.6 trillion dollars (£1.9 trillion) per year, to remain independent of the US, despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Mr Trump.