Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday avoided conceding defeat in his first public remarks since losing Sunday's election, saying protests since then were the fruit of “indignation and a sense of injustice” over the vote.
His chief of staff, Ciro Nogueira, speaking after Mr Bolsonaro's brief public address, said the president had authorised him to begin the transition process with representatives of leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
It took Mr Bolsonaro more than 44 hours to make his first public remarks since the election was decided by electoral authorities, making him the first Brazilian president to lose a re-election bid. He has still not spoken with Mr da Silva.
Amid his silence, supporters blocked motorways to protest against his defeat, with some calling for a military coup to stop former president Mr da Silva from returning to power.
Mr Bolsonaro's delay in recognising Mr da Silva's election raised fear that he would contest the narrow result of the election.
In a national address on Tuesday that lasted only a few minutes, Mr Bolsonaro thanked Brazilians who voted for him and reiterated that he would follow the country's constitution, which stipulates a transition of power on January 1.
He referred to the demonstrations as a “popular movement” and said they should avoid destroying property or “impeding the right to come and go”.
That may not be enough to defuse the protests across Brazil by small groups of his supporters, which have begun to cause economic disruptions, drawing calls from farm and retail groups for Mr Bolsonaro to begin a transition.
The Brazilian supermarkets lobby has reported supply problems owing to the protests and appealed to Mr Bolsonaro to resolve the situation before shop shelves begin to empty.
The Supreme Court ordered police to remove scores of blockades. These had blocked access to an important grains-exporting port and affected the country's largest airport, threatening the transportation of food and fuel.
Some truckers posted videos calling for a military coup to stop Mr da Silva from taking office.
His win represents a stunning comeback for the former metalworker, who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010 but then spent time in prison for corruption convictions that were later annulled.
He has vowed to overturn many of Mr Bolsonaro's policies, including pro-gun measures and weak protection of the Amazon rainforest.
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Supporters of Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate. EPA -
A supporter of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro gathers with others outside his home in Rio de Janeiro. Reuters -
The vote was a rebuke for the fiery far-right populism of Mr Bolsonaro. Reuters -
Supporters of Mr da Silva cheer his win. Reuters -
Supporters of Mr da Silva in Sao Paulo. AFP -
Mr da Silva has vowed a return to state-driven economic growth and social policies that helped lift millions out of poverty when he governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010. AFP -
Supporters of Mr da Silva react as they wait for the election's results in Sao Paulo. Reuters -
Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia. Getty Images -
Mr da Silva was previously president from 2003-2010. AFP -
Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia. Getty Images -
Supporters of Mr da Silva in Rio de Janeiro. AFP -
Days before Sunday’s vote, Mr Bolsonaro intensified attacks on electoral authorities, claiming his campaign was not getting equal access to the airwaves, stoking fears that he may be planning to contest the vote. Getty Images -
A voter wrapped in a Brazilian flag arrives to vote in the presidential run-off. AP -
Mr Bolsonaro poses with a supporter after voting in Rio de Janeiro. AFP -
Mr da Silva waves while leaving the polling station in Sao Paulo. AFP -
A voter in Sao Paulo. AP -
Mr da Silva greets supporters. Reuters -
Mr da Silva, 77, has campaigned on memories of past prosperity. AFP -
Mr Bolsonaro, 67, a former army captain whose style is frequently compared to Donald Trump’s, draws on deep support from Brazil’s powerful agribusiness sector and evangelical community. AFP -
A polling station in Brasilia. Getty Images -
Polls leading into Sunday’s vote showed Mr da Silva holding a slim lead, but Mr Bolsonaro surprised pollsters with a far stronger-than-expected showing in the first-round vote on October 2. Getty Images -
Mr da Silva waves after voting. AP -
Mr da Silva votes in Sao Paulo. AP -
Mr Bolsonaro claims his leftist rival will throw Latin America’s largest economy down a path like Venezuela or Nicaragua. AP -
Voters wait to cast a ballot in Brasilia. AFP -
People queue to vote at a polling station in Brasilia. AFP -
A supporter of Mr da Silva, who says the far-right president would have hollowed out democratic institutions if granted another four-year term. AP
