Jair Bolsonaro has broken his silence, but has not publicly conceded defeat in his first words since losing the Brazil presidential election.

Mr Bolsonaro thanked voters but did not acknowledge his opponent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva who will become the next president.

However the right-wing radical also did not contest the result which many had feared he would.

Mr Bolsonaro’s speech came against a backdrop of his supporters erecting hundreds of roadblocks across Brazil and police firing tear gas at protesters.

Police had reportedly cleared 300 roadblocks nationwide but another almost 300 remained.

Dozens of flights were cancelled because of roadblocks to Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) in Sao Paulo.

Mr Bolsonaro said he welcomed “peaceful demonstrations”.

His chief of staff, Ciro Nogueira, spoke after Mr Bolsonaro and said the “process of transition” of power would begin.

Earlier, Communications Minister Fabio Faria told Reuters Mr Bolsonaro would not contest the result.

Truck drivers and supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro erect a burning barricade. Photo: Getty

Bolsonaro political allies, including his chief of staff Ciro Nogueira, have already begun to establish contact with the Lula camp to discuss a transition.

Some, including the Speaker of the lower house of Congress, have publicly said Bolsonaro’s government should respect the election result.

Truckers — who have benefited from Bolsonaro lowering diesel costs — are one of the president’s key constituencies, and they have previously disrupted Brazil’s economy with highway closures.

The Brazilian supermarkets lobby has reported supply problems due to the protests and appealed to Bolsonaro to resolve the situation before shop shelves begin to empty.

The Supreme Court ordered police to remove scores of blockades that had blocked access to a key grains-exporting port.

The highways blocked by Bolsonaro supporters included key roads used to move grains from farm states to ports as well as a major road linking the two largest cities, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The main access road to Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport, the busiest in the country, was temporarily blocked by dozens of demonstrators and 25 flights were cancelled, the airport said.

But Governor Rodrigo Garcia said the highway was reopened on Tuesday morning.

Police have been clearing roadblocks across Brazil. Photo: Getty

“We honest Brazilians are against the return of that gang that looted state coffers,” truck driver Vando Soares said, in opposition to the return to office of Lula, whose 2003-2010 presidency was marked by widespread corruption.

“We are not moving until that bandit is stopped from assuming as president,” he said.

Another demonstrator, Naiele Souza, said she thought Bolsonaro was waiting to see how the demonstrations went before addressing the public.