Jubilant supporters of Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro took the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday after the far-right congressman was declared the winner of the country's presidential election by a wide margin.
Bolsonaro's victory caps ones of the most polarizing and violent political campaigns in Brazil's history, amid a prolonged recession, rising crime rates and widespread corruption scandals.
In a victory speech, Bolsonaro said he was a "defender of freedom" who would run a government that protected citizens who "follow their duties and respect the laws."
"The laws are for everyone, this is how it will be during our constitutional and democratic government," he said, CNN said in a dispatch from Sao Paulo.
Bolsonaro was declared the winner by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal after 94% of the votes were counted, easily defeating the leftist ex-Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad.
The electoral tribunal released early results showing Bolsonaro leading with 55.54% of votes to Haddad's 44.46%, a difference larger than the amount of votes left to be counted.
But while Bolsonaro's supporters were rejoicing on Sunday, opponents voiced concerns that his victory could threaten human rights and ecological preservation in the world's fourth largest democracy.
Speaking earlier in the day, Haddad said Brazil's democracy was "at stake" in Sunday's vote. "I believe today is a great day for the country which has arrived at a crossroads," he said.
Troubled over Bolsonaro's promises to open up tracks of the Amazon rainforest to development, environmental groups warned his election would be a "profound setback."
