President Biden on Monday called Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, offering him congratulations on his victory, all the while sitting President Jair Bolsonaro still refuses to concede.

“The two leaders discussed the strong relationship between the United States and Brazil and committed to continue working as partners to address common challenges, including combating climate change, safeguarding food security, promoting inclusion and democracy, and managing regional migration,” according to the White House.

Da Silva belongs to the leftist Worker’s Party, while the defeated incumbent Bolsonaro is a conservative who often talks with former President Donald Trump.

This election’s significance is more than just the polarized politics of Brazil akin to that of the States. It was the first time a sitting Brazilian president has not won reelection since Brazil’s return to democracy in 1985.

Bolsonaro has refused to recognize any election that didn’t result in his reelection. His recent silence has led to uneasiness within the Latin American nation. The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arthur Lira, already congratulated da Silva on Sunday night.

“The will of the majority manifested in the ballet boxes should never be contested, and we will move forward in building a sovereign, just, and less unequal country,” wrote Lira, a close ally of Bolsonaro.

Election integrity has been a prominent concern in the U.S., along with “protecting democracy.” President Biden said he “commended the strength of Brazilian democratic institutions following free, fair, and credible elections.”

Da Silva had already been president from 2003 to 2010. He was arrested in 2018 and convicted for corruption and money laundering. A judge ultimately annulled his convictions, allowing him to run for president again.

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