President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has congratulated Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his re-election, saying Brazilians defeated corruption, division and political lies.

In a message on X, Dissanayake said the Brazilian people had defeated “the forces of corruption, division and political lies” through their vote. He said the result showed that people could not be deceived by political dynasties or by those who believed power was more important than justice.

“Many congratulations, companheiro, for leading the march of progress yet again!” he wrote.

Minister Bimal Ratnayake also welcomed the result in a social media post. He said it showed the power of ordinary people to overcome money, media influence, algorithms and racism, and described it as a significant result for people-centred politics. He said he had followed the election closely because of its potential effect on global politics.

Ratnayake noted that Lula began his working life as a labourer and lost a finger in an industrial accident at the age of 17. He said supporters of Lula’s opponent had mocked him during the campaign for having nine fingers. The minister also compared the campaign with Sri Lanka’s 2024 presidential election, recalling what he described as similar insults aimed at Dissanayake.

Lula, 80, won a fourth non-consecutive term by defeating Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party in the runoff held on Sunday, 25 October. He took about 51.8 percent of the vote, according to Brazil’s electoral authorities.

Addressing supporters at a rally in São Paulo, Lula said “Brazil is nobody’s backyard” and pledged to govern for all Brazilians. According to reports, Bolsonaro has called for the results to be annulled, and US President Donald Trump questioned the outcome on Sunday night.

Lula’s new term is due to begin on 5 January 2027.

Background

Lula, a former metalworker and trade union leader, has been the dominant figure of Brazil’s left since he first ran for president in 1989. He served two terms as president from January 2003 to December 2010, and returned to office in January 2023.

Bolsonaro had come first in the first round on 4 October, with 47.03 percent of valid votes against 45.16 percent for Lula, and many observers did not expect the result to be reversed within three weeks. Brazil has about 213 million people. Argentina, Chile and Colombia, three of the larger countries in South America, now have conservative leaders.

Dissanayake, the leader of the National People’s Power (NPP), won Sri Lanka’s presidential election in September 2024 as a left-leaning candidate from outside the two traditional parties.

What it means

The messages from Colombo are statements of political solidarity. As reported, neither mentions trade, travel, visas or any agreement between Sri Lanka and Brazil, so they carry no direct effect on prices, services or travel for readers in Sri Lanka.

Any change in relations between the two countries would be announced separately by the government. Lula’s new term begins in January 2027, and Brazil, a major oil and agricultural producer, is a large economy that Sri Lankan exporters and diaspora communities follow closely.