Jubilation:
Supporters of far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro celebrate in front of his house in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after he won Brazil's presidential election on Sunday. He beat leftist opponent Fernando Haddad in a runoff poll after a bitter and polarised campaign.
Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right firebrand former army captain, won Brazil’s presidential election in convincing fashion, wooing voters with promises to gut endemic political corruption and wage a brutal battle against powerful drug gangs.
Bolsonaro, who early in his legislative career declared he was “in favour” of dictatorships and demanded that the Brazilian congress be disbanded, vowed after his Sunday night win to adhere to democratic principles while holding up a copy of the country’s constitution.
His transition team planned to meet on Monday with President Michel Temer’s team to start work ahead of his January 1 inauguration.
Bolsonaro’s win alarmed critics around the globe, mainly because of his vows to sweep away leftist political opponents and his history of making insulting comments about gay people, women and minorities.
“You are all my witnesses that this government will defend the constitution, of liberty and of God,” Bolsonaro said in a Facebook live video in his first comments after his victory.
An outspoken admirer of US President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro also pledged to realign Brazil with more advanced economies, overhauling diplomatic priorities after nearly a decade and a half of leftist rule.
Trump called Bolsonaro to wish him good luck, auguring closer ties between the two largest economies in the Americas both now led by conservative populists vowing to overturn the political establishment.
Bolsonaro won 55.2% of votes in a run-off election against left-wing Fernando Haddad of the Workers Party (PT), who garnered 44.8%, according to electoral authority TSE.
Thousands of Bolsonaro supporters cheered and set off fireworks outside his home as his victory was announced.
Investors also cheered Bolsonaro’s ascent, relieved that he could keep the PT out of power and hopeful that he would carry out fiscal reforms proposed by his orthodox economic guru.
“I don’t idolise Bolsonaro and I don’t know if he will govern well, but we are hopeful. People want the PT out, they can’t take any more corruption,” said Tatiana Cunha, a 39-year-old systems analyst in the midst of the noisy celebrations.