Bolsonaro is challenging the election results in Brazil

(CNN) – Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has petitioned the Brazilian electoral authorities to formally challenge the results of this year’s controversial presidential election.

Bolsonaro narrowly lost a run-off last month to his left-wing rival. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvabetter known as “Lola”, who will take over as president on January 1.

Since then, Bolsonaro He did not openly admit his defeatbut he said earlier that he would continue to “comply with all the commandments of the constitution,” which led observers to believe that he would cooperate with the transfer of power.

But in the petition filed on Tuesday, Bolsonaro and the leader of his right-wing Liberal Party claimed that some voting machines had malfunctioned and that any votes cast through them should be cancelled.

Citing an analysis by a company hired by Bolsonaro’s party, the complaint states that nullifying those votes would give the incumbent president a victory.

In response to Bolsonaro’s request, electoral authorities said that because the same voting machines were used in the first round of the election, Bolsonaro and his party should amend their complaint to include those results in order for the process to reach the courts, according to CNN. Brazil.

Alexandre Moraes, the president of the Supreme Court of Elections, gave Bolsonaro and the petitioners 24 hours to amend their request.

Last month’s heated election came amid a tense and polarized political climate in Brazil, which is grappling with soaring inflation, limited growth and rising poverty.

Lula da Silva received more than 60 million votes, according to the electoral authority’s final count, the most in Brazilian history and breaking its own record since 2006.