Brazil: Lula extends lead over Bolsonaro

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Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva

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Sebastiao Moreira/EPA

Brazil will elect a new president in October.

And it looks like incumbent Jair Bolsonaro will suffer a heavy defeat in the process.

According to a survey, his left-wing rival Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was able to further extend his lead over the right-wing populist incumbent.

Lula is 15 percentage points ahead of Bolsonaro.

According to the poll conducted by the polling institute IPEC, in the elections scheduled for October 2, 46 percent of the vote would go to Lula and only 31 percent to Bolsonaro.

In the expected run-off, the left-leaning challenger was also able to increase his lead to 17 points with 53 percent.

In last week's IPEC poll, the gap in the second ballot was 16 points.

Bolsonaro's value in a possible runoff election is unchanged from the previous week at 36 percent.

Bolsonaro has been in office since 2018.

Lula ruled the country from early 2003 to late 2010.

He was sentenced to prison before the 2018 election.

The Supreme Court overturned the verdict last year.

The election polarized the Brazilian population like never before in the recent history of the South American country.

Bolsonaro regularly sows doubts about the workings of Brazil's e-voting system - and it's completely open whether he will follow in the footsteps of his political idol, former US President Donald Trump, and refuse to accept the election result should he go against his challenger lose Lula.

Because of the heated atmosphere, the police have already tightened security measures at campaign events.

Both Bolsonaro and Lula wear bulletproof vests during their performances and avoid close contact with their supporters.

as /dpa/Reuters/AFP