MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lula celebrates new polls and asks Colombians to support Petro

Comrade Gustavo Petro is the right choice for Colombia and Brazil, Lula also said

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva Friday celebrated the results of Datafolha's most recent survey, according to which he might win the Oct. 2 elections, even probably in the first round.

“I imagine that [incumbent President Jair] Bolsonaro didn't sleep last night,” said the former labor leader during an event in Sao Paulo. He also called Colombians to support fellow leftwing candidate Gustavo Petro in Sunday's elections.

Read also: Senator Petro ahead in all polls for Sunday's elections in Colombia

“You saw the poll yesterday...,” Lula said. “I imagine that Bolsonaro didn't sleep last night; I imagine that he said: what a disgrace this Lula has.”

Lula also told a group of his followers that “we can't stop, because if we stop, we may have a hard time winning.” He also admitted it was necessary to discuss the “social responsibility to pay the debt we have with the working people” instead of “discussing social responsibility to guarantee money to the bankers.”

Datafolha said Lula would win 48% to 27% in the first round and 58% to 33% in case of a runoff.

Regarding the Colombian elections, Lula explained on Twitter that “those of us who are fighting to overthrow a fascist government in Brazil, ask the people of Colombia and all those who defend democracy, to vote next Sunday for comrade Gustavo Petro as president of Colombia.”

Lula said he wanted Petro to win so that Colombia and Brazil can build a “strong” South America with political, economic, and cultural integration.

“Thank you, Lula, future president of Brazil, for your support. I hope we can build a Latin America united in production, social justice, and knowledge”, the Colombian candidate wrote.

According to polls by Guarumo and EcoAnalítica, Pacto Histórico's Petro and Equipo por Colombia's Federico 'Fico' Gutiérrez would advance to the runoff.