Former army captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected the 42nd president of Brazil, with around 55 percent of the votes in the second round of elections. He defeated the Workers' Party candidate, Fernando Haddad. CGTN's Paulo Cabral reports.

Supporters of Fernando Haddad's Workers' Party went to polling stations on Sunday with hopes heightened by the latest polls showing their candidate was growing.

PEDRO BARROS ACTOR "I think we can still turn this around, in the first round many of the polls were wrong so we still have a chance."

But as results came out - there were no last minute surprises: former-army Captain Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil in the second round of vote.

EDUARDO DE CASTRO BUSINESSMAN "We are voting for Bolsonaro because we feel he will bring a better Brazil, with hope and justice."

It was a fierce and polarized campaign. Throughout the second round, both candidates spent most of their time attacking the opponent - trying to win the vote of many Brazilians who weren't really happy with either option. The Workers' Party - and much of Brazil's left-wing - described Bolsonaro as fascist and made intensive use of his statements justifying the use of torture, praying Brazil's Military Dictatorship and heavily criticizing gender and race policies. From his side, Bolsonaro highlighted the Workers' Party deep involvement in corruptions cases and the fact that their main leader, former president Lula da Silva, is in jail serving a sentence of 12 years on corruption charges. In his victory speech - broadcast over the internet - the elected president said he would abide by the Constitution - and criticized the defeated opponents.

JAIR BOLSONARO BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT "We could not keep flirting with socialism, communism and populism, and with the extremism of the left-wing."

In his concession speech, Fernando Haddad said opposition to Bolsonaro will be strong.

FERNANDO HADDAD DEFEATED PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE "In the name of democracy we have to defend the right to think and the liberties of the 45 million Brazilians that have voted for us. We have an obligation to be in the opposition putting above all the national interests of all Brazilian people."

PAULO CABRAL SAO PAULO "The elections have left the country deeply fractured and polarized. It will be a big challenge for Jair Bolsonaro - described as a fascist by many of his opponents - to gather the political support in Parliament needed to push through his projects and calm the country's political turmoil. Many analysts say to succeed, he would need to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric that worked so well in getting him elected. Paulo Cabral, CGTN, São Paulo."