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Rousseff likely to be re-elected: Poll
October 1, 2014, 6:04 am

Brazil's President and Workers Party presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff (R) participates in a campaign rally in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 20, 2014 [Xinhua]

Brazil’s President and Workers Party presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff (R) participates in a campaign rally in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 20, 2014 [Xinhua]

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff holds on to her lead against rivals in a poll released on Tuesday, ahead of Sunday’s presidential race, strengthening her chances of being re-elected.

According to pollster Datafolha, Rousseff, who represents the Workers’ Party, had 40 per cent support among voters, the same as the previous poll showed last Friday.

Third-ranked Aecio Neves rose in the poll and got closer to runner-up Marina Silva, making the fight for the second place tougher.

Silva, of the Brazilian Socialist Party, garnered 25 per cent support, down from 27 per cent last week, while Neves, of the conservative Brazilian Social Democratic Party, got 20 per cent support, up from 18 per cent last week.

Eight other candidates together got 3 per cent voting intentions.

If Rousseff has to face a run-off with Silva, she would win by 49-41 per cent, the poll showed. And if she has to contest Neves in the second round, she would be re-elected by 50-41 per cent.

“Looking in the rearview mirror to check if I can see Marina Silva and Aecio Neves, but I can not,” Rousseff tweeted after the DataFolha poll results were published on Tuesday, taking a dig at her rivals.

The Datafolha poll, carried out on Monday and Tuesday, surveyed 7,520 voters from across the country.

Earlier last week, Rousseff said improvement of Brazil’s economy is related to US growth prospects.

“We must see how the crisis is going to evolve. If the U.S. evolves well, I believe Brazil can enter a new phase, with less need for stimulus,” the President said in a televised interview.

Brazil will then be able to change its economic policy from a prudent stance that focuses on securing jobs and investment to a more proactive one, she said.

Some of Brazil’s biggest trading partners in South America are going through a difficult time, added Rousseff.

The Brazilian economy is expected to slow to 0.3 per cent growth this year.

During Sunday’s elections, Brazilians will also choose state governors, senators as well as federal and state representatives.

 

TBP and Agencies