MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Opinion polls coincide Dilma is recovering the hearts of Brazilian voters

Marina Silva is her main rival a year ahead of presidential elections

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's popularity recovered from a recent drop caused by massive street protests as the government tried to deal with the sluggish economy and concern that inflation will rise the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported on Friday.

Those Brazilians who consider Rousseff's administration “excellent” or “good” rose to 38% from 31% a month ago, the paper said, citing a poll conducted by Ibope public opinion research agency for the National Confederation of Industry.

The poll is the third to be released by the CNI and Ibope since a wave of protests began in June in several Brazilian cities against hikes in bus fares, poor public services, corruption and government spending on the soccer World Cup.

Since the protests have died down Brazil's currency has lost ground to the US dollars, some 18%, fuelling concern about inflation and a 60 billion currency intervention program aimed at halting the slide.

The central bank has already moved to fight inflation by raising interest rates.

Rousseff's excellent or good rating was 54.2% in June, the newspaper said, citing Ibope and CNI. The poll showed the percentage of people who rated Rousseff's government “bad” or “terrible” fell to 24% from 31% from July. The percentage who considered Rousseff's performance “average” was unchanged at 37%.

Ibope conducted the poll among 2,002 Brazilians between August 15 and August 19. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.

Another opinion poll from Vox Populi shows Rousseff as favourite for the first round vote in next year’s presidential election and 19 points ahead of her runner up, former Environment minister Marina Silva.

The poll shows the Brazilian president with a vote intention of 38%, two points ahead of all other potential hopefuls for next year’s October ballot.

Rousseff with 38% is followed by Silva with 19% and Social democrat Aecio Neves, with 13%. The interesting thing is that Ms Silva is supported by the ‘Sustainable Network’, which still has to register and be accepted as a political party.