Alfredo Gaspar admitted the defeat of the presidential couple with Flavio Bolsonaro in the Brazilian elections, but presented the result as the beginning of future successes. His statement was made on October 27, after Bolsonaro left the country amid reports that he was traveling to the United States.
“There are victories that are defeats, and defeats that are true victories“, Gaspar said in a video message. He thanked the nearly 60 million voters who supported the couple, and said they had maintained their principles until the end.
Gaspar did not mention re-elected President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva by name or congratulate him on his victory. Instead, he claimed that "the system changed the rules of the election" and that his political group was under pressure. He did not provide evidence to support the claim.
Lula won by a margin of 4.4 million votes
Lula won the second round on October 25 with 64,256,232 votes, or 51.79% of the valid votes. Flavio Bolsonaro received 59,826,041 votes, equal to 48.21%. The difference between the two candidates is about 4.4 million votes, CNN Brasil reported.
Gaspar highlighted the Liberal Party's performance in the parliamentary elections. According to him, the party has chosen its largest groups in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, which, according to him, will allow the right to continue its political activity from Congress.
„We will not give up on Brazil. In the near future, Brazil will win“, said the vice presidential candidate. He indicated as priorities the fight against drugs, the protection of the family and the continuation of opposition activities.
Bolsonaro left the country after the election loss
Gaspar's statement was made hours after the announcement of Flavio Bolsonaro's departure. According to Brazilian media, quoted by „Terra“, the senator traveled to the United States with his family. The Associated Press reported, however, that a U.S. official did not specify whether Bolsonaro had already left Brazil or was on his way to the United States.
A State Department official said that Flavio Bolsonaro and his family members would be issued U.S. visas. The decision was announced after Brazil's Supreme Court ordered the senator to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports.
Bolsonaro initially refused to recognize Lula's victory and demanded an investigation into the election results. The Liberal Party recognized the result on October 26, with its president, Waldemar Costa Neto, saying he accepted the results announced by the Supreme Electoral Court.
Gaspar himself has already outlined the political group's next role as the opposition. He stated that the electoral loss would not end the campaign and that the party's parliamentary positions would be used to continue its policies.
Sources: infomoney.com.br, metropoles.com, apnews.com