MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula da Silva increases lead in the polls

Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has again taken the lead over his rival Social Democrat Geraldo Alckmin, and if the October 29 run off were to take place this week, Lula would win with 56% of the vote according to a survey released Wednesday.

Datafolha's public opinion poll shows that in five days, vote intention for Lula rose from 50 to 51% while for Alckmin it dropped from 43 to 40%.

This means that in the run off Lula would be re-elected with 56% of valid votes against his rival's 46%.

In the previous survey, October 6, Lula da Silva figured with 54% and Alckmin 46% of valid votes.

The October 10 poll interviewed 2.868 people in 194 municipalities in 25 states of the Brazilian union with a plus/minus margin error of two points. It was the first survey since last Sunday's debate between Lula and Alckmin last October 8.

The debate according to public opinion polls was technically a draw since 43% said Alckmin came out best, against 41% for Lula.

However the survey shows that Alckmin suffered significant losses among voters in the south, one of his strongholds and the only region where he remains ahead of Lula. Similarly Alckmin lost a few points among the most literate Brazilians, the main segment in following Sunday's television debate.

Lula on the other hand has seen his difference increase among the young voters and in the northeast of Brazil where in the first round of voting he was supported by 65%.

Discouraging news for Alckmin is that he lost at least nine percentage points among those voters who in the first round supported Socialist candidate Heloisa Helena.