Brazilian presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro has vowed to challenge the results of Sunday’s election and seek its annulment after losing to incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“It’s impossible to recognize the election results in the context of how things happened. We are going to use our legal team; we are going to request the annulment of these elections,” Bolsonaro said, refusing to accept the outcome.

Lula won approximately 51.8% of the vote, defeating Bolsonaro, who received about 48.2%, according to reported results from Brazil’s electoral authorities. The victory gives Lula a fourth nonconsecutive presidential term after he previously served from 2003 to 2011 and returned to office in 2023.

Bolsonaro’s challenge centers on a controversial decision to extend voting hours by two hours on election day. Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin authorized the extension after transportation problems disrupted voting in some areas. Both campaigns had sought additional time, citing different logistical concerns.

The decision has drawn criticism from Bolsonaro and his allies, who argue that changing voting hours on election day raises questions about the fairness of the process. Bolsonaro has also pointed to Zanin’s previous role as Lula’s lawyer as a reason for concern over the ruling.

Brazil’s electoral authorities have reported that Lula secured the victory, with the margin reaching nearly 4.4 million votes. Bolsonaro’s announcement signals a potential legal dispute over the election, although the outcome of any annulment request remains uncertain.

The challenge comes amid deep political divisions in Brazil, where supporters of Lula and the Bolsonaro political movement have repeatedly clashed over the country’s leadership, judicial decisions and electoral system.

Bolsonaro’s legal team is expected to pursue the effort to overturn the results, but it remains unclear what legal grounds will be presented or whether Brazil’s electoral authorities or courts will agree to annul the vote.