Brazilians have a very important task next Sunday, October 7th. It will be the day when they decide who will run the country for the next four years, considered by many to be the most important election in Brazilian history.
Brazil struggles with high levels of violence, corruption and a deteriorating economy. Last year, Latin America’s largest economy grieved almost 64,000 homicides, supposed by many to be triggered by Brazil’s worst recession with 13 million people unemployed.
Furthermore, a large group of politicians, executives and businessmen have been found guilty for their involvement in a bribe system uncovered by the Brazilian Federal Police: Operation Car Wash. Since 2014, this investigation led to many arrests and it is considered Brazil’s greatest corruption scandal even, involving former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (commonly known as Lula).
Leading the race is far-right candidate, Jair Bolsonaro. His focus is clamping down on corruption and crime, planning to strengthen police powers and loosen gun laws. Bolsonaro admits being capable of blocking the return of the Workers Party. Promising to keep Lula incarcerated and to change the trajectory of Brazil.
Right behind Bolsonaro in popularity terms is Fernando Haddad from the Workers’ Party, a teacher and former mayor of Sao Paulo. Haddad replaced Lula after the former president was found guilty of corruption. The candidate has stated that his “dream is that Brazil starts to include people again”.
Bolsonaro and Haddad are also versing three other candidates in the race - Ciro Gomes, Geraldo Alckmin and Marina Silva – all sensible centrists, promising to unify an intensely divided country. Unlikely to stand a chance in Brasilia’s presidential house, these three candidates will have a chance to support either Bolsonaro or Haddad in an eventual deciding vote, held on October 28th.
Yuri Maia is a Geopolitical Analyst at informed-australia
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