São Paulo, Brazil – Former São Paulo Gov. Geraldo Alckmin forced a presidential runoff election by capitalizing on Brazilians’ anger over scandals that reached ever-closer to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Alckmin – who, like da Silva, spent Monday plotting strategy with his advisers – is now within striking distance of an upset victory Oct. 29. But whether Brazilians are ready to give up on their first working-class president remains to be seen.
A balding anesthesiologist widely known for sleep-inducing campaign speeches, Alckmin lacks the passion da Silva has brought to the job. Nicknamed “Chuchu” – after a flavorless vegetable – he is strong in Brazil’s industrialized south but has relatively little support among the poor and working classes.
“Lula still remains a clear favorite to win re-election,” said Christopher Garman, Latin America analyst with the Eurasia Group. “Given that Lula received close to 49 percent of valid votes in the first round, for him to lose the election, voters who supported him in the first round would have to switch over to Alckmin in the second.”
Alckmin, 53, is betting his reputation as a cool, if slightly stiff, technocrat will play nicely against the sometimes impetuous Silva, 60, a firebrand labor leader elected four years ago on promises to clean up corruption.
“We will conquer Brazil’s confidence step by step, degree by degree. That’s how we reached the second round against an out-of-control government machine,” said Alckmin, who received 41.6 percent of the vote Sunday to 48.6 percent for Silva.
Many Brazilians appreciate what Silva has done for them in the past four years. Known popularly as Lula, he has brought millions out of poverty through social spending, even as he stabilized the economy, beating inflation without raising taxes. Many, especially the poor, say their lives have improved.
But Silva’s reputation as an ethical leader has been rocked by scandal. The latest involved allegations that leaders of his Workers Party tried to pay $770,000 for dirt on his opponents. Major newspapers ran front-page photos over the weekend showing the piles of money, and six party members face arrest warrants.
Silva had to fire his campaign manager, and an old friend who ran his personal security detail is among those wanted in the federal probe. Silva has denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.
Alckmin also may be vulnerable to scandal. He quashed 16 ethics investigations in the São Paulo state assembly, and his wife was accused of accepting 400 free dresses from a luxury boutique.
Members of Alckmin’s party have also been linked to illegal campaign-financing schemes.
