The man leading Brazil’s presidential election polls says he is worried that fraud could cost him victory in October, raising questions about whether he would accept defeat. Far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro made a Facebook live posting Sunday saying he sees a risk that fraud might give the election to Fernando Haddad, who has replaced jailed former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the left-leaning Workers Party ticket. Da Silva led in polls before being disqualified due to a corruption conviction. “The great concern is not to lose the vote, it is to lose by fraud. That possibility of fraud in the runoff, maybe even in the first vote, is concrete,” Bolsonaro said in his first address to supporters from a hospital where he is recovering from a Sept. 6 stabbing attack.
“The Workers’ Party discovered the way to power, and that is the electronic voting,” he said.
Bolsonaro didn’t provide any evidence to support his claim, though over the years he has expressed distrust in Brazil’s electronic voting system. The congressman sponsored a bill for voters to get a receipt after casting their ballots, a move that was later blocked by Brazil’s top court on grounds it might lead to fraud.
Recent polls show Bolsonaro and Haddad are likely to lead the Oct. 7 first-round vote and then face an Oct. 28 runoff.
Bolsonaro has been hospitalized since the stabbing and while he left intensive care over the weekend, it’s unclear when he might be able to resume personal campaigning. The motive for the attack on him remains unclear.
Full Article: Leading Brazil candidate says he fears electoral fraud.