RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin on Monday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Brazil's presidential election appeared to have been "rigged," saying there was no evidence to support the allegation.
"First, one does not interfere in the politics of another country. That is a fundamental principle," Alckmin said. "Brazil, in fact, is an example to the world in terms of electronic voting and legal safeguards. This is how democracy works: you win an election, you lose an election, and it is the people who decide."
Earlier Monday, Trump said Brazil's presidential election "looked like another rigged election" and that the decision to extend voting hours was "very strange."
Only about 34,000 votes were cast after the original 5:00 p.m. (2000 GMT) cutoff on Sunday, accounting for merely 0.03 percent of all ballots, local media reported, citing data from the Superior Electoral Court.
The figures show that Incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's victory did not hinge on those late-recorded votes, as he secured a decisive lead of nearly 4.4 million votes over Liberal Party opponent Flavio Bolsonaro, capturing 51.79 percent of the total vote.
Earlier Sunday, amid reports that public transportation disruptions and heavy rainfall had made it difficult for some voters to reach polling stations, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court extended voting by two hours, until 7:00 p.m. (2200 GMT). Polling stations that had already closed at the original deadline were not reopened. ■
