Far-right Army Man Bolsonaro Wins Brazil Vote

Far-right former army captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil on Sunday, beating leftist opponent Fernando Haddad in a runoff election after a bitter and polarized campaign.

Rio de Janeiro, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Oct, 2018 ) :Far-right former army captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil on Sunday, beating leftist opponent Fernando Haddad in a runoff election after a bitter and polarized campaign.

Supporters flooded the streets outside Bolsonaro's home in Rio de Janeiro after the result was announced, waving Brazilian flags and lighting up the sky with fireworks.

Official results gave the controversial president-elect 55.18 percent of the vote with more than 99.7 percent of the ballots counted, as his vow to rescue the country from crisis with a firm grip resonated with voters furious over corruption, crime and economic malaise.

Bolsonaro, 63, will take office on January 1.

"We will change Brazil's destiny together," he said in his victory speech -- broadcast live from his home on Facebook, the platform he has used to campaign since an attacker stabbed him in the stomach at a rally on September 6.

Delivered in a stern tone, the speech also featured more divisive moments.

The longtime congressman pledged to govern "following the Bible and the constitution," and said: "We cannot continue flirting with socialism, communism, populism and the extremism of the left." But he pledged to defend "the constitution, democracy and freedom," fending off opponents' warnings he would try to veer toward authoritarianism after openly expressing his admiration for Brazil's brutal military dictatorship (1964-1985).

Despite repulsing many with his open support of the torture used by the military regime, as well as remarks deemed misogynist, racist and homophobic, Bolsonaro managed to tap into deep anti-establishment anger that propelled him to victory.

The sea of supporters outside his home celebrated ecstatically.

"All these people here are outraged, upset about corruption and crime, and we are with Bolsonaro. The people have spoken. For the first time I feel represented," said Andre Luiz Lobo, 38, a businessman who -- not incidentally, given accusations of racism against his candidate -- is black.