Allegations of Corruption Lead to Brazilian Presidential Runoff
October 2, 2006

The first round of presidential elections in Brazil on Sunday, October 1 failed to produce a majority vote for any candidate, setting the stage for a runoff election later this month.  On October 29 Workers’ Party leader and incumbent President Inacio Lula da Silva will face off with conservative opponent Geraldo Alckmin of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party.  Sunday’s election brought 48.65% of the vote to da Silva, while Alckmin obtained 41.6%.  President da Silva receives a large majority of his voter base in the poor rural areas.  In 2002 he was elected in a landslide victory running on “social justice and clean government” according to the New York Times.  According to CNN reports, da Silva’s social spending programs spend over $325 million a month, and have “helped millions of Brazilians out of poverty.” 

President da Silva and the Workers’ Party have been bogged by scandal since his election in 2002.  Despite a Congressional vote buying scandal polls over the few months had shown da Silva “easily winning the race” according to CNN.   The Washington Times reports that over the last few weeks a new corruption scandal has emerged accusing the Workers’ Party of attempting to pay “about $800,000 for information that allegedly proved corruption on Alckmin’s part.”  Six arrest warrants are pending in Brazil for members of the Workers’ Party involved in the scandal, including one for da Silva’s personal friend and head of security detail.  President da Silva has denied a role in any of the scandals that have accompanied his presidency.

The result of the latest corruption reports has been a ten point boost in the polls for Alckmin, who was virtually unknown prior to entering the presidential race.  The New York Times says as a response to the scandals surrounding da Silva, Alckmin has projected himself as “the doctor who is going to treat the corruption that Brazil suffers from.”  Alckmin receives most of his support from the more developed and prosperous southern states of Brazil according to the BBC.
 
Washington Post-cited polls put da Silva in the lead for the run off election later this month.  The first round of voting was “Everyone against Lula (da Silva’s nickname)” reports the BBC, but the next month will force the two candidates to focus on defining their positions on issues.  According to Brazilian political analyst Rogerio Schmitt “the candidates have been very generalistic so far”. 

Over 126 million people voted in the Brazilian elections on Sunday which included gubernatorial and senate races.  Voting is mandatory in Brazil; those who abstain may face fines.  FOX News reports that voting uses a system of electronic voting.  There were no known irregularities with the voting as of Monday.

Sources:

BBC: Brazil Elections
CNN: Brazil leader forced into runoff
FOX News: E-Voting Raises New Questions in Brazil
NYT: Embattled Brazil Incumbent Fails to Win First-Round Ballot
Washington Post: Brazil's Lula Forced to a Runoff in Reelection Bid