Neves

Brazil elections ‘now a race between Rousseff, Silva’

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO — A second debate between Brazil’s top presidential candidates on national TV on Monday showed the race for the presidency is now one to be fought between incumbent president Dilma Rousseff and environmentalist Marina Silva, according to a key political analyst.

Broadcast on the public SBT television channel, Brazil’s seven top presidential candidates took each other to task over hot-button topics in a debate dominated by the economy.

Previously seen as a battle between Rousseff and former Minas Gerais governor Aécio Neves, Monday’s debate appeared to mark a turning-point in the race, recently upended by the dramatic entry of Silva, a former senator and environment minister, as a presidential candidate.

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Op-Ed: Though not a ‘diplomatic dwarf,’ Brazil foreign policy lacks clout

Al Jazeera America

Brazil woke from a foreign policy slumber last week and waded into the world’s most complex geopolitical conflict.

As the number of civilian deaths in Gaza continued to climb to disturbing levels, Brazil’s Foreign Ministry issued a short statement saying it considered the “escalation of violence” between Israel and Palestine “unacceptable” and “strongly condemned the disproportionate use of force by Israel in the Gaza Strip.”

Brazil said it would recall its ambassador in Israel for consultation — an act of protest in diplomatic terms — which effectively fractured ties with Israel. The Palestinians praised Brazil for the strong diplomatic gesture, but Israel’s Foreign Ministry said, “Such steps do not contribute to promote calm and stability in the region,” provide a “tailwind to terrorism” and affect “Brazil’s capacity to wield influence.”

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Market predicts Brazil 2014 growth below 1%

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – Market analysts in Brazil have predicted, for the first time, that the country’s economy will expand by less than 1% in 2014, according to a Central Bank report published on Monday.

Analysts now believe the Brazilian economy will grow by 0.97% this year, according to the bank’s most recent Focus Bulletin, after analysts cut their GDP (gross domestic product) growth forecasts for an eighth consecutive week.

The figures, based on a survey of around 100 Brazilian economists, are the worst estimate recorded since the Central Bank began publishing the data. Last week the figure stood at 1.05%.

The news is yet another blow to the economic credentials of the government of President Dilma Rousseff, who is seeking re-election in October, and is also likely to hit confidence in Latin America’s largest economy, already hampered by low confidence and concerns over above-target inflation.

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Rousseff ‘would tie with Neves’ in runoff

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – The latest poll of voters’ intentions ahead of Brazil’s upcoming general elections released late on Thursday suggests that while incumbent president Dilma Rousseff remains in the lead by a comfortable margin, a second round would be required and is currently too close to call.

The latest Datafolha poll showed Rousseff, presidential hopeful for the leftist Workers’ Party, had fallen two points since the last poll at the beginning of July, with 36% of respondents’ votes.

Aécio Neves, Rousseff’s nearest rival from the right-leaning Brazilian Social Democracy Party, again garnered 20% of votes, ranking him second, with third place going to Brazilian Socialist Party candidate Eduardo Campos who dropped one point, to 8%.

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Brazil elections take shape as final parties register

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – With just over three months to go to general elections, four final political parties are holding conferences across Brazil on Monday to announce their preferred presidential candidates and official party alliances.

According to Brazilian election laws, parties must officially register their intention to participate in this year’s general elections between 10 and 30 June.

The first round of elections will take place on 5 October and 141.8 million people are eligible to vote.

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Brazil’s Rousseff slips further in election poll

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – The number of people set to vote for Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at this year’s general elections has slipped to a 2014 low, according to a poll of voters’ intentions published on Friday.

Only 34% of Brazilians questioned said they would vote for a second term in office for Rousseff, the latest survey by media polling institute Datafolha of 4,337 people across Brazil revealed – down from 37% in early May, and 44% in February.

However, Rousseff’s closest rival presidential hopefuls, Aécio Neves and Eduardo Campos, also both registered a drop in support, unlike in May, when both made gains.

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Rousseff lead over Brazil election rivals slips

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – President Dilma Rousseff’s lead over her rival presidential hopefuls is shrinking, the latest poll to be published ahead of this year’s general elections revealed on Friday.

The Datafolha poll surveyed 2,844 people in over 170 Brazilian cities about their voting intentions for the general elections, the first round of which is set for 5 October.

Some 37% said they would vote for Rousseff, pre-candidate for the left-leaning Workers’ Party (PT), down from 38% in the previous Datafolha survey conducted in April. The same poll gave Rousseff 44% of the vote in February.

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Brazil presidential rivals slam Rousseff ‘election’ speech

Anadolu Agency

SÃO PAULO – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has been accused by rival presidential hopefuls of using a May Day speech broadcast on national television and radio for her own gains ahead of this year’s elections.

Rival presidential pre-candidates senator Aécio Neves, of the main opposition Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), and former governor Eduardo Campos of the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB), launched a scathing attack on Thursday over the president’s national address, which they criticised as being directed towards general elections set for 5 October.

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