President Dilma Rousseff has struck a conciliatory tone after her victory in the closest Brazilian election in generations.
Rousseff was re-elected by a narrow margin on Sunday, ensuring that Latin America’s biggest nation will remain under the control of a Workers party (PT) committed to tackling inequality.
She won 51.6% of the valid votes cast to secure a much reduced mandate, having fought off a strong challenge by the pro-business Aécio Neves.
In a victory speech, a beaming Rousseff said she hoped the nation could rally together. “Instead of increasing differences and creating gaps, I strongly hope that we create the conditions to unite,” she told supporters in Brasilia. “I want to be a much better president than I have been until now.”
She gave particular thanks to former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who many tip to run again in 2018. Rousseff is ineligible to stand for a third consecutive term.
Brazil’s stock exchange lost six points early on Monday, and its currency has fallen against the dollar in the first hours of trading. Analysts had predicted the market would react negatively to a Rousseff victory, under whom the economy has largely stalled. Neves was overwhelmingly favoured by Brazil’s business community, who believed his market-friendly policies would help jumpstart growth.
Neves said he had called the president to offer his compliments and expressed thanks to supporters.
In Rio de Janeiro, more than a thousand Workers party supporters braved driving rain to gather under the arches in Lapa, where they watched the results come in on a giant screen. As Rousseff’s victory flashed up, they erupted in cheers, waved campaign flags, danced and chanted, “Olé, olé, olé, olé, Dilma, Dilma!”
“This is good for Brazil,” said one campaigner, Vinicius Barchilon. “Dilma has done a lot for the poor and we have a government that is determined to tackle inequality.”
