U.S. President Donald Trump described the recent presidential elections in Brazil as "an embarrassment for the Brazilian people" on Thursday. However, he refrained from naming who he believes is the rightful winner of last Sunday's election.
Speaking to reporters, and as reported by the Anadolu Agency, Trump was directly asked, "Who do you think is the legitimate winner of the Brazilian elections?"
"I don't want to comment right now, but I thought the election was a great embarrassment to the Brazilian people," the U.S. leader responded.
Trump mentioned that he had been following the electoral process but emphasized that he remained neutral in the contest between Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his competitor, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
"I watched the elections. I didn't take sides. I let it play out," he stated.
The Republican added that the Brazilian president himself had asked him not to take sides, though he did not elaborate on the circumstances of this request.
"The president, the current president, asked me not to take sides. I didn't take sides," he reiterated.
Nevertheless, Trump once again questioned what transpired during the elections, which resulted in Lula's re-election for a fourth presidential term.
"But when I saw what happened in Brazil, it was an embarrassment," he declared.
The president also pointed to the behavior of financial markets to support his criticisms.
"Well, the market says it. Just look at the market. I mean, their market collapsed," he argued.
He concluded, "I found it to be a very embarrassing situation for Brazil."
His references to the alleged collapse of the Brazilian market were part of his political assessment of the events and do not, on their own, constitute evidence of electoral irregularities.
According to official results from Brazil's Superior Electoral Court, Lula received 64,256,232 votes, representing 51.79% of the valid ballots, while Flávio Bolsonaro garnered 59,826,041 votes, or 48.21%.
The final margin of victory was 4,430,191 votes in favor of the re-elected president.
Trump's new remarks come amid the controversy sparked by Bolsonaro's defeat and his subsequent departure to the United States.
On Wednesday, Trump had already questioned Brazil's electoral process and expressed his willingness to welcome Flávio Bolsonaro and his family to the United States.
He also described the elections as "very strange" and said they seemed "terrible" to him, though he maintained that he did not intervene on behalf of any candidate.
On the same day, Flávio Bolsonaro declared himself the "president-elect" of Brazil from the United States, through a letter alleging fraud and announcing that he would lead the opposition from abroad.
The senator publicly thanked Trump and the U.S. government for hosting him and his family, while questioning the legitimacy of the results recognized by Brazilian electoral authorities.
The dispute erupted following the second round on October 25, when Lula managed to overturn the lead Bolsonaro had gained in the first electoral round, securing his presidential re-election.
Understanding the Controversy Surrounding Brazil's Elections
Why did Trump call the Brazilian elections an embarrassment?
Trump criticized the elections as an embarrassment for the Brazilian people, though he did not specify the reasons behind his statement or point to specific irregularities.
Who were the main candidates in the Brazilian presidential election?
The main candidates were the incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his rival, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
What were the election results according to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court?
Lula received 64,256,232 votes, or 51.79%, while Flávio Bolsonaro obtained 59,826,041 votes, amounting to 48.21% of the valid votes.
What actions did Flávio Bolsonaro take following the election?
Flávio Bolsonaro declared himself the "president-elect" from the United States, alleging fraud and announcing his intention to lead the opposition from abroad.