Brazilians prepare to go to the polls to choose president
64 views · Published 11 October 2018 · 2:32 · Indexed 28 September 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(6 Oct 2018) Election officials distributed ballot booths and electronic voting machines on Saturday, ahead of Brazilian general elections scheduled for Sunday. More than 147 million Brazilians are expected to choose among 13 candidates for president in one of the most unpredictable and divisive elections in decades. With former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva barred from running by electoral authorities following a corruption conviction, far-right congressman Jair Bolsonaro leads the polls. The former army captain has tapped into deep unease in Brazil, which is reeling from a sweeping corruption scandal and is struggling to grow again after a protracted recession. Bolsonaro has expressed nostalgia for the 1964-1985 military dictatorship, has been repeatedly fined for offensive comments and has made cracking down on crime a centerpiece of his campaign. But his proposals and his fiery rhetoric have often repulsed as many Brazilians as they have attracted. Despite weeks spent in a hospital bed after he was stabbed at a campaign event, Bolsonaro garnered 31 percent support in a poll released earlier this week. But projections for a second round show Bolsonaro in a tie with his top rival, former Sao Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad. The Workers' Party candidate has surged into second place since he was named last month to replace da Silva on the left-leaning party's ticket. But with da Silva's endorsement, he has become a force in the campaign. While Bolsonaro will likely win the first round, polls project he will get less than the 50 percent necessary for victory. That means a run-off would likely be held on October 28. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e362bdc58348acc24891682c35584b25
