In a message posted today (Monday), Netanyahu congratulated Bolsonaro on Sunday's vote and said he looked forward to restoring what he described as the “extraordinary friendship” between Israel and Brazil.
“Best wishes for your great victory, my friend,” Netanyahu wrote.
Bolsonaro, a senator and the son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, received about 47% of the vote in the first round, while incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva received about 45%. Neither candidate secured the majority required for an outright victory, sending the election to a second round on Oct. 25.
Netanyahu's message comes as Brazil's presidential race enters its final stage. Relations between Israel and Brazil have deteriorated under Lula, who has been sharply critical of Israel's conduct in Gaza.
The Israeli prime minister has previously expressed support for Flavio Bolsonaro. In July, Netanyahu appeared in a video played at the launch of Bolsonaro's presidential campaign, calling him a “great champion” of Brazil and of the friendship between the two countries.
The runoff will determine who leads Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, for the next presidential term.
