August 15, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - Few adults in Brazil believe their head of state should face a political trial, according to a poll by Datafolha published in Folha de Sao Paulo. Only 29 per cent of respondents would support the start of impeachment proceedings against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Few adults in Brazil believe their head of state should face a political trial, according to a poll by Datafolha published in Folha de Sao Paulo. Only 29 per cent of respondents would support the start of impeachment proceedings against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Lula—a three-time presidential candidate for the Worker's Party (PT)—won the October 2002 presidential election with 61 per cent of the vote in a run-off against Jose Serra of the Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB).

The Brazilian government has been the target of criticism after Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) member Roberto Jefferson declared that members of two political organizations—the Liberal Party (PL) and the Progressive Party (PP)—received payments of up to $12,000 U.S. from the government in exchange for support in the legislative branch. Jefferson has so far provided no evidence to back his allegations.

On Aug. 11, advertising executive Duda Mendonca—who orchestrated Lula's 2002 presidential campaign—declared to congressional investigators that the PT partly paid for his services with funds from an offshore bank in the Bahamas in violation of electoral regulations. 64 per cent of respondents believe Lula should remain as president while the corruption investigations continue, 15 per cent would like him to temporarily step down, and 15 per cent think he should resign altogether.

On Aug. 12, Lula vowed to resolve the crisis, saying, "I feel betrayed by unacceptable practices that I never new about. If the government was wrong, it should apologize to Brazilians, and the PT should also apologize. The indignation I feel today is felt by every citizen."

Polling Data

Would you support the start of impeachment proceedings against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva?

Yes	29%
No	63%
Not sure	8%

Should Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva remain as president, temporarily step down, or resign during the investigations into alleged corruption?

Lula should remain as president	64%
Lula should temporarily step down	15%
Lula should resign altogether	15%
Not sure	6%

Source: Datafolha / Folha de Sao Paulo
Methodology: Interviews to 2,551 Brazilian adults, conducted on Aug. 10, 2005. Margin of error is 2 per cent.