elections

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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Op-ed: Brazilian presidential candidates close in polls – and positions

Al Jazeera America

SÃO PAULO — Brazilians will elect a president in a closely contested runoff election on Sunday. “There are two proposals on the table in this election,” said incumbent Dilma Rousseff in her final remarks during last week’s televised debate.

Her centre-right challenger, Aécio Neves, echoed the line, shoehorning as much space as possible between their two visions. In reality, Brazilians have one proposal before them, with two slightly different versions to choose from.

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Brazil markets dive after polls show Rousseff leading Neves

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Brazil’s key stock exchange index and national currency both sank on Tuesday morning, a day after new surveys showed President Dilma Rousseff had overtaken rival Aécio Neves in the polls.

In the first minutes of trading, the Ibovespa plunged more than 2,300 points, or 4.4 percent, with state energy companies Petrobras and Eletrobras suffering the biggest losses.

The real also suffered a sharp fall, opening at 2.464 against the dollar but within minutes weakening to 2.50.

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IMF slashes Brazil 2014 growth outlook to 0.3%

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Disappointing levels of investment, confidence and competitiveness means Brazil’s economy will barely grow this year, according to a key report by the International Monetary Fund published on Tuesday.

The October edition of the global lender’s flagship World Economic Outlook report slashed its July estimate of 1.3 percent to 0.3 percent, which, if confirmed, would be the second worst performance by the Latin American economic powerhouse since 1998.

Currently the world’s seventh economy, Brazil should grow more in 2015, the report says, but still less than previously predicted, revising down a previous estimate of 2.0 percent to 1.4 percent.

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Economy, corruption key to Brazil presidential runoff

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — The remaining two candidates in the Brazilian presidential race met with campaign teams on Monday to plan negotiations to secure rivals’ supports and redraw political battle lines ahead of the runoff on 26 October.

Sunday’s first-round vote saw incumbent and leftist Workers’ Party candidate President Dilma Rousseff take 41.5 percent of valid votes, but center-right Brazilian Social Democracy Party candidate and market favorite Aécio Neves performed unexpectedly well, finishing in second with 33.6 percent, forcing a fourth consecutive runoff between the two parties.

Former environment minister Marina Silva, running for the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), placed third with 21 percent of support, meaning elimination from the race.

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Brazil elections set for runoff between Rousseff, Neves

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Brazil’s presidential election will go to a second round between incumbent president Dilma Rousseff and centre-right candidate Aécio Neves, the country’s Supreme Electoral Court told the Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday evening.

With nearly all of the country’s electronic votes counted, none of the 11 candidates can now reach the required 50-percent threshold, and a second round will be held on 26 October.

Rousseff, the Workers’ Party (PT) candidate who is seeking a second four-year term, took 41.5 percent of votes in Sunday’s presidential election by 10pm in Brasília — a first round she had been expected to win.

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Polls open in Brazil for crunch presidential elections

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — Polls have opened in Brazil where tens of millions of voters have begun casting their ballots across Latin America’s largest country, in one of the most unpredictable and exciting Brazilian presidential elections in a generation.

Polling stations opened their doors at 08:00 Brasília time (11:00 GMT) and will close soon after at 17:00 (20:00 GMT).

Some 142.8 million people are eligible to take part in the vote, which is mandatory for those aged between 18 and 70.

As well as voting for one of 11 candidates vying for the presidency, Brazilians will also be asked to elect deputies, senators, state governors and state-level legislators.

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