DHAKA: Dilma Rousseff has been re-elected president of Brazil, after securing more than 51 percent of votes in the closest election race in many years.

An official count showed her rival, centrist candidate Aecio Neves, taking just over 48 percent of the vote, reports the BBC.

In her victory speech, Rousseff said she wanted to be “a much better president than I have been until now”.

She faced protests last year against corruption, record spending on the football World Cup and poor services.

Rousseff, who has been in power since 2010, is popular with poor Brazilians thanks to her government’s welfare programs.

BDST: 1134 HRS, OCT 27, 2014