SAO PAULO -- A far-right congressman was elected president of Brazil on Sunday in the nation's most radical political change since democracy was restored more than 30 years ago.
Jair Bolsonaro cast himself as a political outsider despite a 27-year career in Congress. The former army captain has exalted the country's old military dictatorship, advocated torture and threatened to destroy, jail or drive into exile his political opponents.
His victory reflected widespread anger at the political class after years of corruption, an economy that has struggled to recover after a punishing recession, and rising crime and violence.
Hundreds of supporters gathered outside Bolsonaro's seaside home in Rio de Janeiro, jumping and hugging each other when the results were announced. As golden fireworks lit up the sky, they chanted "mito," or "legend," paying homage to their president-elect.
Speaking to supporters from his home, Bolsonaro, 63, recounted how he was stabbed while campaigning last month and almost died.
"I was never alone. I always felt the presence of God and the force of the Brazilian people," he said.
Bolsonaro, who ran on promises to clean up Brazil and bring back "traditional values," said he would respect the constitution and personal liberty.
"That is a promise, not of a party, not the vain word of a man. It's a promise to God," he said, standing next to his wife and many cheering supporters.
Later, he said in a Facebook Live transmission that he had received a call from some world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who wished him good luck.
Addressing supporters in Sao Paulo, his rival, Fernando Haddad of the Workers' Party, did not concede or even mention Bolsonaro by name. Instead, his speech was a promise to resist.
"We have the responsibility to mount an opposition, putting national interests, the interests of the entire Brazilian people, above everything," Haddad said. "Brazil has never needed the exercise of citizenship more than right now."
He later added: "Don't be afraid. We are here. We are together!"
Brazil's top electoral court said Bolsonaro won with just over 55 percent of the vote, compared with just under 45 percent for Haddad.
Bolsonaro's victory caps a bitter contest that divided families, tore friendships apart and ignited concerns about the resilience of Brazil's democracy, which is still young. Its constitution took effect in 1988.
Many Brazilians see authoritarian tendencies in Bolsonaro, who plans to appoint military leaders to top posts and said he would not accept the result if he were to lose. He has threatened to stack the Supreme Court by increasing the number of judges to 21 from 11 and to deal with political foes by giving them the choice of extermination or exile.
Part of the reason for his victory was the collapse of the left. Many cried foul after former President Luiz Inacio da Silva, the longtime front-runner in the race, was ruled ineligible to run after he started serving a 12-year sentence for corruption and money laundering in April.
Despite his influence, da Silva was not able to pull off the last-minute transfer of votes to Haddad, the candidate chosen to replace him on the ballot.
And for many Brazilians, Bolsonaro was an enthralling candidate. His roster of offensive remarks -- he said that he'd rather his son die than be gay and that women don't deserve the same pay as men -- was interpreted by many as bracing honesty and evidence of his willingness to shatter the status quo.
Information for this article was contributed by Ernesto Londono and Shasta Darlington of The New York Times; and by Sarah DiLorenzo, Peter Prengaman, Mauricio Savarese, Stan Lehman, Marcelo Silva de Sousa and Beatrice Christofaro of The Associated Press.
A Section on 10/29/2018