Serra Still in Lead of Brazil’s Presidential Race Despite Lula’s Opposition

Lula at Labor Day rallyDilma Rousseff, presidential candidate of Brazil’s ruling coalition will continue with the current economic policies of the Lula administration boosting the role of state corporations if successful in the coming October election, said José Eduardo Dutra, president of the Workers’ Party.

Dutra also discarded any major budget cuts or direct intervention in the exchange market with the purpose of having a targeted rate for the real, if Dilma Rousseff becomes Brazil’s first woman president.

Government finances will be closely monitored, but the budget is not one of the main issues of the Brazilian economy, added Dutra, a former chairman of the government managed oil corporation Petrobras, who left the job last February to take over as president of the Workers’ Party and be fully involved in the electoral campaign.

During this year’s first quarter, Brazil recorded its largest consolidated primary budget deficit in eight years because of a considerable increase in social security layouts and government spending.

The primary budget surplus is closely monitored by foreign investors because it is considered a most valuable indicator to gauge the capacity of a government to honor sovereign debt.

Ms. Rousseff’s main rival, former governor of the state of São Paulo, Brazil’s power house, belonging to the opposition Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) has promised fiscal austerity and greater government efficiency in managing public investment and infrastructure financing.

José Serra – according to the latest public opinion polls released by the local media – leads comfortably in vote intention with a ten points lead over Ms. Rousseff.

Meanwhile, an opposition party presented yet another claim before an electoral court accusing President Lula of “advancing” the October presidential campaign, which by law, should start only in July, to bolster Ms. Rousseff.

The claim was presented by the Democrats Party and refers to a recent political rally organized by the Unified Workers’ Central (Central Única dos Trabalhadores, CUT) during the celebration last Saturday of International Workers’ Day.

At the rally, President Lula made a brief review of his almost eight-year administration and progress achieved by the working classes, adding this would only be continued if his work “has a sequence”.

“Dilma have your heard what I said? Sequence, Dilma”, said Lula from the stage according to the claim presented before the court, which means “the president made of Workers Day, in an electoral year, a political rally in support of candidate Rousseff.”

Lula has been fined twice for similar interventions earlier this year by electoral officials and another four claims are waiting for a judgement. Brazilian president attorneys have appealed all rulings.

Mercopress

Tags:

You May Also Like

How Brazil Has Learned Bangladesh’s Microcredit Lesson

When Muhammad Yunus, the economist who founded the influential Grameen Bank (which dispenses small ...

Brazil Is Putting On Soccer Shoes for Germany’s World Cup

The Brazilian Export Promotion Agency (Agência de Promoção de Exportações e Investimentos) (Apex-Brasil), says ...

Secrecy Violation at Brazil’s Savings Bank Seems Like Inside Job

Brazil’s Caixa Econômica Federal (the state-run Mortgage and Savings Bank) reports that it has ...

US President George W Bush

Bush Won’t Discuss Reducing Ethanol Tariff with Brazil

The ethanol agreement to be signed between Brazil and United States during president Bush's ...

French footballer hero Zinédine Zidane

It’s True, the French Stole Brazil’s Jogo Bonito, But We Always Have 2010

No doubt the headlines said it better than I ever could: "France Bids Brazil ...

After 7.5% Growth, Brazil’s Per Capita Income Reaches US$ 11,500

In Brazil, per capita income rose 6.5% last year, reaching 19,016 reais (US$ 11,490) ...

Brazilian Troops Suffer Several Gang Attacks in Haiti

Brazilian troops will continue to carry out routine activities and fortify their positions in ...

Brazilian Fashion Eyeing Arab World

Expansion of business with the Arabs. This was the main objective of the businessmen ...

Ethanol Policy and Oil Exploration Make Brazil Oil Self Sufficient

Once almost completely dependent on oil imports, early next year, Brazil will begin producing as ...