MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Incumbent Brazilian presidential campaign accused of spying on adversary

Jose Serra was to be the target of an alleged bugging network

A member from the campaign team of Brazilian presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff was forced to resign over the weekend because of an alleged espionage plan to tap information from the main opposition hopeful Jose Serra.

Journalist Luiz Lanzetta resigned to the Communications Department of the Ms Rouseff campaign, from the ruling Workers Party of President Lula da Silva.

According to the weekly magazine Veja, Lanzetta together with a retired police officer and a retired military officer, both experts in intelligence gathering and bugging were planning to mount a network to collect information on Brazilian Social Democrat (PSDB) Jose Serra the most serious opposition to the incumbent candidate.

Lanzetta in a Sunday release admits having met with the former police officer with the purpose of “monitoring adversaries”, but denied point blank have done spying on Serra.

Serra accused Ms Rousseff of allowing her advisors to get involved in clandestine operations. The issue is expected to have political and judicial repercussions this week.

PSDB Deputy Gustavo Pruet announced he would be summoning to Congress all those involved in the alleged espionage plot to listen to their statements and is also considering presenting the case in court.

However the head of the Workers Party grouping in the Lower House Candido Vacarezza said that “opposition is trying to distract the political debate with accusations” because Rousseff keeps advancing in public opinion polls and Serra is trailing.

The statement is ambiguous because according to the latest May opinion polls both contenders are tied at 37% vote intention, although compared to April Ms Rousseff was up five points and Serra down 3 points.

Rousseff has been gaining ground on Serra in other recent polls, thanks to an improving economy and support from outgoing President Lula da Silva, whose administration is considered good or excellent by 75% of people surveyed.

Meanwhile President Lula da Silva was fined by the Brazilian Superior Electoral Tribunal for the fifth time for having campaigned in favour of Ms Rousseff. The president will have to pay approximately 4.500 US dollars for calling on the unions’ federation, last May first, to give their vote to the incumbent candidate.

“There’s much to do in this country, we need continuity”, said Lula da Silva in direct reference to Ms Rousseff, thus breaching electoral legislation which impedes the president from campaigning.

The claim was presented by the Democrats Party a close ally of opposition candidate Jose Serra.

Brazilians will be voting on the successor of President Lula da Silva October 3.