Brazil's Cardoso builds popularity amid crisis
Reuters, Thursday, September 17, 1998 at 08:50
SAO PAULO, Brazil, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Brazilian President
Fernando Henrique Cardoso's popularity has inched up again amid
a financial crisis battering the country's economy, a poll
revealed on Thursday.
The nationwide Ibope poll showed 49 percent of those
surveyed would vote for Cardoso in October 4 elections, up from
a previous 47 percent.
The president also strengthened his lead against his main
opponent, leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, to 27
percentage points from a former 24 points. Lula's support
dropped one percentage point to 22 percent.
The latest poll surveyed 3,000 voters across Brazil between
September 9 and 14. It was released in leading newspapers on
Thursday morning. No margin of error was given.
The continued rise in Cardoso's popularity comes at a time
when the country is suffering its biggest financial crisis in
recent years.
Cardoso, who hopes to be Brazil's first-ever reelected
president, saw his popularity drop as the economy ground to a
halt at the beginning of the year and unemployment soared to a
14-year high.
But he staged a comeback after officially announcing his
candidacy and launching an ad campaign highlighting his fight
against the current global economic crisis.
Copyright 1998, Reuters News Service |
