Brazil's Lula da Silva to bow out of election; poll rattles markets

Jailed former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will step aside on Tuesday so his running mate can stand for the presidency in next month’s election, party sources said, as leftist candidates’ strong showing in a poll pulled markets lower.

Lula, by far Brazil’s most popular politician, hoped the Supreme Court would agree to an appeal for more time to switch the head of the Workers Party (PT) ticket after the top electoral court last week banned him from running due to a corruption conviction.

Despite appeals pending before the Supreme Court, Lula decided not run the risk of votes for his party’s ticket being annulled by the electoral court.

Two sources with knowledge of Lula’s decision said former São Paulo Mayor Fernando Haddad will become the official PT candidate.

A Datafolha poll conducted on Monday showed that transfer has begun. While still in the single digits, support for Haddad increased from 4% to 9%, the biggest gain among the 13 candidates running for president.

The same poll also showed strengthening support for another leftist, Ciro Gomes, a former governor and finance minister, whose support rose from 10% to 13%. Environmentalist candidate Marina Silva, however, slipped by 5 points to 11%.

Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro, who was the top vote-getter in first-round scenarios, increased by 2 points to 24% - less than many expected after he survived a near-fatal stabbing last week.

Former São Paulo Mayor Geraldo Alckmin, a center-right candidate, ticked up just 1 point to 10%.

Monday’s poll confirmed previous surveys showing Bolsonaro would lose to every major candidate in a probable run-off vote - with the exception of Haddad, with whom he was in a technical tie.

At: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-election/jailed-lula-to-bow-out-of-brazils-presidential-race-sources-idUSKCN1LR08N

Brazilian candidates (from left) Jair Bolsonaro (fascist); Ciro Gomes (labor); Fernando Haddad (workers); Marina Silva (environmentalist); and Geraldo Alckmin (centrist).

Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva, his country's most prominent political prisoner, has been blocked from running and has endorsed Fernando Haddad.