SAO PAULO, Brazil: Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva called for 'peace and unity' after narrowly winning a divisive runoff election on Sunday (Monday in Manila), capping a remarkable political comeback by defeating far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, who is yet to accept defeat.

The victory marks a stunning turnaround for charismatic but tarnished leftist icon Lula, who left office in 2010 as the most popular president in Brazilian history, fell into disgrace when he was imprisoned for 18 months on controversial, since-quashed corruption charges, and now returns for an unprecedented third term at age 77.