Brazil elections

Brazil’s top court outlaws corporate contributions to political campaigns

VICE News

SÃO PAULO — Five years ago, the United States Supreme Court delivered a decision in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that allowed corporations to devote virtually unlimited funds to political campaigns, provided that they were spent independently of candidates and political parties.

On Thursday, a ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court did the exact opposite, prohibiting businesses from financing campaigns in a move that has been hailed as crucial to the fight to rid Brazilian politics of rampant corruption.

Although touted by good governance advocates as vital to the fight against graft and malfeasance, others believe the development in Brazil will simply force campaign cash under the table.

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Rousseff sworn in for second term as Brazil president

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff vowed to fight corruption, restore economic growth, and put education at the heart of sweeping reforms during an inauguration ceremony on Thursday.

In her 40-minute address, the president acknowledged widespread public dissatisfaction with her government, saying that Brazilians had “sent (her) a message demanding change”, and vowed political reforms and nationwide action on corruption.

Rousseff said her second term in office would follow a simple motto — “Brazil: The Nation of Education” — that would put improving schools and universities, as well as improved access to them, at the heart of her new government.

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Brazil President Dilma Rousseff re-elected in thrilling runoff vote

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Incumbent Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has been re-elected in one of the tightest and most bitterly-fought Brazilian presidential elections in the country’s recent history.

The results were confirmed to the Anadolu Agency by Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Court on Sunday evening.

With over 99 percent of votes counted in the second-round presidential vote, Rousseff has 51.6 percent of the vote, beating rival Aécio Neves, who got 48.4 percent.

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Final Brazil polls: Neves edges out Silva to face Rousseff

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — A final slew of polls released on Saturday ahead of Sunday’s first-round vote of the Brazilian presidential elections has predicted a comfortable win for leftist incumbent president Dilma Rousseff, but one that falls short of the 50 percent required to avoid a runoff.

The polls predicted the Workers’ Party candidate would also win the highly-likely second round.

However, the results suggested it would now be fought against centre-right Social Democracy Party candidate Aécio Neves, who has pulled ahead of former environment minister Marina Silva for the first time since she entered the race mid-August, in a final twist ahead of the first-round vote.

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Brazil elections: Meet the top six presidential candidates

Brazil heads to the polls this Sunday, 5 October, to elect the country’s next president. Some 143 million eligible voters will choose from among 11 candidates, the top three of which are representing broad party coalitions.

If no candidate receives 50 percent of the compulsory vote, a second-round runoff will be held on 26 October between the top two vote-getters.

Meet the six highest-polling candidates, which include Brazil’s incumbent president, Dilma Rousseff, and environmentalist candidate Marina Silva, whose dramatic late as presidential candidate turned the race for the Planalto on its head.

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Brazil presidential candidate Eduardo Campos killed in plane crash

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has declared three days of mourning after presidential candidate, Eduardo Campos, was killed in a plane crash in the port city of Santos, southeast Brazil.

In a statement President Rousseff said she would also suspend her election campaign for the same period.

Flags are flying at half-mast on government buildings across Brazil.

A further six people died and at least ten others were injured when the small private jet flying from Rio de Janeiro to the coastal city of Santos, some 50km southeast of São Paulo, crashed into a residential area after attempting to land at a nearby air base in neighbouring Guarujá.

Eyewitnesses say the plane was already on fire, and possibly upside down, before it hit the ground.

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