Brazilians elect first far-right Bolsonaro their president

Jubilant supporters of Brazil's president-elect Jair Bolsonaro took the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Sunday after the far-right congressman was declared the winner of the country's presidential election by a wide margin.

Bolsonaro's victory caps ones of the most polarizing and violent political campaigns in Brazil's history, amid a prolonged recession, rising crime rates and widespread corruption scandals, the CNN reports.

In a victory speech Sunday, Bolsonaro said he was a "defender of freedom" who would run a government that protected citizens who "follow their duties and respect the laws."

"The laws are for everyone, this is how it will be during our constitutional and democratic government," he said.

Bolsonaro was declared the winner by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal after 94% of the votes were counted, easily defeating his leftist ex-Sao Paulo mayor Fernando Haddad.

Supporters of far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro celebrate in front of his house in Rio de Janeiro on October 28.

The electoral tribunal released early results showing Bolsonaro leading with 55.54% of votes to Haddad's 44.46%, a difference larger than the amount of votes left to be counted.

But while Bolsonaro's supporters were rejoicing on Sunday, opponents voiced concerns that his victory could threaten human rights and ecological preservation in the world's fourth largest democracy.

Speaking earlier in the day, Haddad said Brazil's democracy was "at stake" in Sunday's vote. "I believe today is a great day for the country which has arrived at a crossroads," he said.

Troubled over Bolsonaro's promises to open up tracks of the Amazon rainforest to development, environmental groups warned his election would be a "profound setback."

"His reckless plans to industrialize the Amazon in concert with Brazilian and international agribusiness and mining sectors will bring untold destruction to the planet's largest rainforest and the communities who call it home, and spell disaster for the global climate," Amazon Watch program director Christian Poirier said in a statement to CNN.