Trump Calls Brazil Election 'Rigged' and 'So Corrupt' After Lula Beats His Ally Flavio Bolsonaro

US President Donald Trump described Brazil's election as 'rigged' and 'so corrupt' after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated Flavio Bolsonaro, the right-wing ally Trump had hoped would win.

Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, has called for the result to be annulled.

Trump Questions Brazil Election Result

'It looked terrible to me,' Trump told reporters when questioned about the Brazilian election.

'I didn't take sides but it looked like another rigged election frankly... it was a terrible look for the world.'

Trump is an ally of the Bolsonaro family. Flavio had pledged to join a wave of conservative Latin American leaders developing closer ties with Washington, a prospect Trump had hoped his victory would advance.

Yet Trump maintained that he had not endorsed a candidate in Brazil. His comments combined that denial with criticism of how the election had been conducted.

'Elections have to be indisputable and it looked very bad to me,' he continued. 'I didn't endorse anybody or anything, but I watched the election and it looked so corrupt, so terrible.'

Those descriptions reflect Trump's allegations. The supplied account does not establish that the election was rigged or corrupt, and IBTimes UK cannot independently verify those claims.

Brazil Election Extension Draws Trump Criticism

Trump specifically criticised the extension when discussing how the votes were tabulated. The transport problems and Lula's request for additional polling time were the circumstances described in the supplied account.

Bolsonaro's call for annulment challenges the result, but the supplied material provides no decision on that request.

When reporters questioned whether he planned to take action, Trump turned the focus to his own country.

'I'm not running for Brazil, I'm running for the USA,' he stated.

Despite his closeness to the Bolsonaro family, Trump also spoke positively about his relationship with Lula, distinguishing his personal dealings with the Brazilian president from his objections to the vote.

'I like Lula, I get along with him very well. I just thought it was a very bad look, the way it was tabulated -- with the extension.'

The two leaders have had turbulent trade relations. Trump has nevertheless described their relationship as having 'excellent chemistry'.

Trump Places Brazil Election Alongside Regional Claims

Trump has also disputed his own 2020 US presidential election loss, calling it rigged, and cast doubt on the US midterms, in which his Republican Party risks losing control of Congress.

Separately, he has repeatedly boasted about his administration's role in changing Latin America's political map. The supplied account also cites the US military operation that toppled Nicolas Maduro.

'In South America, it was all leaning big left -- it's all right now,' Trump told reporters. 'And, as you know, I endorsed many of those people. Every single one that I endorsed won.

'In a short period of time, they are becoming extremely conservative in a very positive way.'