MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian president Lula popularity at all-time high

A new poll shows that the popularity of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is at its highest level since he took office in 2003.

The Datafolha poll says 64 percent of those surveyed think Silva's administration is excellent or good. The survey comes as Brazil enjoys an extended economic boom that has raised salaries and helped lift millions of citizens out of poverty. Silva also won strong support from well-heeled Brazilians and from those with advanced education degrees ? groups that have traditionally criticized the former union leader and high school dropout. Datafolha said Friday that 2,981 people were polled between Sept. 8 and Sept. 11. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.