Trump Questions Fairness of Brazil’s Presidential Election, Claims Vote Looked ‘Rigged’

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump has questioned the credibility of Brazil’s recent presidential election, describing the vote as appearing “rigged” and “corrupt” without presenting evidence to substantiate his allegations.

Speaking to reporters on Monday while traveling to a midterm election rally in Corinth, Mississippi, Trump was asked whether he considered Brazil’s two-round presidential election fair. He responded critically, saying the process looked troubling to him and comparing it to what he called another rigged election.

Trump emphasized that he had not supported either candidate, but maintained that elections should be conducted in a way that leaves no room for doubt. He argued that the Brazilian vote had created a negative impression internationally.

His comments followed the victory of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who secured another term as Brazil’s president after defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in Sunday’s runoff. Lula received 51.79% of the valid votes, totaling more than 64 million ballots, while Bolsonaro garnered 48.21%.

Despite his criticism of the election process, Trump said he had a positive relationship with Lula. He reiterated that his responsibility was to govern the United States rather than Brazil, adding that he liked the Brazilian leader and got along well with him. However, he also described the extension granted in the election process as “very strange.”

Trump repeated his concerns about the vote’s integrity, saying elections must be beyond dispute, while offering no specific evidence to support his claims of irregularities.