Brazil’s Presidency:

Race uncertain

BRAZIL: The race to succeed Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in an election knockout in less than two weeks’ time is uncertain, even if Lula’s chosen candidate, Dilma Rousseff, appears to have the edge.

Rousseff’s lead has steadily declined since just before the first round October 3 and she now has a meager advantage over her rival, former Sao Paulo state governor Jose Serra.

The latest poll, given by the Datafolha institute over the weekend, credited Rousseff with 47 percent of valid ballots and Serra with 41 percent.

Another survey firm, Sensus, last week saw Rousseff with 47 percent and Serra with 43 percent — which, given the margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points for each score, meant a statistical heat.

Before the first round, Rousseff, Lula’s 62-year-old former chief minister, was seen with such a commanding lead that many expected she would win an outright majority in the October 3 election, averting the need for the runoff.

But she fell short, picking up 47 percent of ballots, while Serra pocketed 32 percent.

Both of them are now scrambling for the 19 percent of ballots that went to a defeated third-placed Greens Party candidate, Marina Silva, who has declined to back one or the other in the race.

Rousseff benefited greatly during her campaign from having Lula at her side. The outgoing president, who has served the maximum permitted two consecutive terms, has a spectacular 80-percent popularity rating. Brasilia, Tuesday, AFP