Brazil President Bolsonaro does not concede after election defeat

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• Amna Nawaz:

  We begin in Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro spoke publicly today for the first time since his reelection defeat. But he did not concede the election, and did not call off protests by his supporters.

  Jane Ferguson has our report.

• Jane Ferguson:

  It was as close to a concession speech as Brazil was going to get.

  In his first appearance since losing the bitterly fought election nearly two days ago, Brazil's soon-to-be former President Jair Bolsonaro struck a proud and defiant tone, emphasizing his party's gains in Congress.

• Jair Bolsonaro, Brazilian President (through translator):

  Our robust representation in Congress shows the strength of our values, God, homeland, family, and freedom. We have created many leaders throughout Brazil. Our dreams continue more alive than ever. We stand with order and progress.

  I have always been labeled as anti-democratic, and, different from my accusers, I have always played within the limits of the Constitution. While president of the republic, this citizen, I will continue to follow all commandments from our Constitution.

• Jane Ferguson:

  Bolsonaro, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, shocked many with his silence after the race was called for his leftist opponent, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known as Lula.

  But, in Bolsonaro's 44-hour absence, his supporters have continued filling the void with noise. Truckers flooded hundreds of major roads in most of Brazil's 26 states, protesting his loss and perpetrating the false notion that the election was fraudulent.

• Jair Bolsonaro (through translator):

  The current popular movements are the fruit of indignation and a feeling of injustice about how the election process took place. Our methods cannot be those of the left, which have always harmed the population, such as the invasion of property, destruction of heritage, and restriction of the right to come and go. The right has really emerged in our country.

• Jane Ferguson:

  And though Bolsonaro refused to mention Lula's name, his supporters had plenty to say about him.

• Evanilso Jaba, Protester (through translator):

  He should be in jail and not contending for an election. Brazil is ours. We don't accept such mismanagement, a thief like Lula, who robs our nation and today wants to come back to power.

• Jane Ferguson:

  Some knelt on roadsides to pray for the outcome's impossible reversal. The highways they blockaded shut off access to the country's largest airport and started to impact the essential transportation of food and fuel.

  But the Supreme Court soon ordered federal highway police to begin forcibly removing people.

• Marco Antonio Territo, Intelligence Director, Federal Highway Police (through translator):

  Since Sunday, we have been working on this protocol that was passed, starting with negotiations, as well as dialogue, and, if necessary, the use of the shock force.

• Jane Ferguson:

  Across the world, leaders reacted to the victory. President Biden called Lula, who led the country for two previous terms before being jailed on later overturned corruption charges, to offer U.S. backing.

  His office said he commended — quote — "resilient democratic institutions following free, fair and credible elections."

  Back in Brasilia, it was left to Bolsonaro's chief of staff to say what the outgoing president would not.

• Speaker (through translator):

  The president has authorized me to begin the transition to President Lula.

• Jane Ferguson:

  That transition completes two months from today, on January 1, 2023.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Jane Ferguson.