MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Strong economy boosts Lula da Silva's support to 58%

President Lula da Silva

Support for Brazilian President Lula da Silva's administration jumped to its highest level 58%, riding on a strong economy which has helped boost wages and jobs, a public opinion poll showed on Thursday.

The March poll showed that 58% of Brazilians believe the Lula da Silva administration was doing a good or excellent job, up from 51% in December according to a survey by Ibope. It is the highest rating since the first Ibope poll of the Lula da Silva administration in March 2003, three months after taking office. The Ibope survey polled 2002 people between March 19 and 23 and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points. "There's been a profound improvement in the feeling of the people," said Marco Antonio Guarita, director of the National Industry Confederation, which published the poll. "There's only one reason for that: the economy" Guarita said in a news conference. Survey respondents said Lula da Silva performed better in all eight areas of government, from employment and inflation to health and education. Even in public security, a big problem in Brazil, his ratings improved. The strong support for the Brazilian president may help candidates from his governing coalition in October's municipal elections, analysts said, although local politics usually have a greater influence in these local elections. Brazilian newspapers have charged that Lula da Silva's intense promotion of public works projects was intended to pave the way for a successor in the 2010 presidential elections. But most experts agree it will likely be two years before any politicians emerge as viable presidential candidates.