Vai para o segundo turno!!!!

Yesterday the third most important democracy in the world went to polls. The incumbent, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, had the lead, but there have been charges of corruption that result in a runoff with his main opponent, former state governor Geraldo Alckmin of the centrist Social Democracy Party (PSDB).

For months, polls have shown Lula easily winning a first-round victory. But Lula saw his once-commanding lead plummet on the eve of the vote, as his Workers' Party was battered by allegations that party officials tried to buy a mysterious dossier that apparently contained incriminating information about a political rivals. This runoff is seen as a defeat for Lula despite the high votation (48.65%) but the reality is that Geraldo Alckmin, who was once laughted and weakly supported by his colleagues from PSDB may have chances to rush for a final win.

Electors blamed Lula's lack of courage who flee from the traditional TV debate. They blamed also too many corruption scandals that involved Lula's Party - Partido dos Trabalhadores - and isolated the President from his most devoted compagnons and advisers. At the same time, international press gave too much credit to welfare policies (BOLSA FAMILIA) that provide more assistentialism than accurate solutions to eradicate poverty and undermine social inequalities. Foreign policy challenges have also put pressure on the president. Lula has abdicated Brazil's traditional role as regional leader to Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. President Lula is then going to the final round less confident and more jeopardized than expected.

This runoff will be an excellent opportunity to strengthen Brazilian democracy which is already the strongest in Latin America. Debate does occur. What is to blame is the come back of many politicians once involved in corruption investigations. The most striking example is Fernando Collor elected Senator. Collor was President from 1990 to 1992 but resigned the office of the presidency because of corruption charges that started a process of impeachment. He's been ever since a negative symbol of thw worst face of politics in Brazil. But other controversial people like Paulo Maluf, Valdemar Costa Neto, Jader Barbalho, Roberto Arruda won. Maybe the funniest elected is Clodovil - a folcloric TV entertainer - most well known for his (her?) atypical attitudes than for his (her?) political structure...