Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva (Photo Creative Commons)

This was the second round of voting, after neither candidate secured 50 percent of the vote in the first round.  The Superior Electoral Council has already certified the results. 

Over 130 million people turned up at the polls in this election.

The support of hugely popular Lula da Silva bolstered Rousseff's showing at the polls.   She is expected to continue the economic policies of her predecessor.

"I reiterate my fundamental promise: the eradication of poverty," she said during her acceptance speech in Brasilia, according to Al Jazeera.

Brazil is a rising economic power, along the lines of political allies India and Turkey, and will be hosting both the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Rousseff was a member of leftist guerrilla groups after the 1964 military coup in the country before entering politics.  She served in da Silva's administration, first as Minister of Energy, and then as Chief of Staff.

She will be inaugurated into office on January 1, 2011.

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