The opinion poll, conducted by the “Institut Datafolha”, showed that Lula da Silva’s lead over Bolsonaro remains steady at 6 points, two weeks before the run-off of the Brazilian presidential elections.
According to the poll, Lula da Silva received 53% of the vote, compared to 47% for Bolsonaro, which is the same result as the last poll conducted by the institute on the seventh of October, according to Agence France-Presse.
The poll excluded voters who plan to vote with a white paper or canceled, about 5% of respondents, according to the Datafolha Institute.
The margin of error in the poll, which was based on interviews with 2,898 people on Thursday and Friday, was two percentage points, plus or minus.
These figures came on the heels of a battle in Brazil over polling regulators that has greatly reduced Bolsonaro’s support ahead of the October 2 first round elections, according to AFP.
The Datafolha Institute had reported that Bolsonaro trailed Lula by 14 points on the eve of the first round, but the president came second by only 5 points and with 43% of the vote.
Bolsonaro accused the poll companies of manipulation in an attempt to stifle his popularity, saying, “We exposed the lie.”
Reports said the Federal Police opened an investigation into polling firms Thursday at the request of the Justice Department into alleged “criminal practices”.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission has opened a separate investigation into whether the polling institutions carried out a “coordinated act to tamper” with the elections.
But the President of the Supreme Electoral Court, Judge Alexandre de Moraes, ordered the investigations to be halted late Thursday because they “encroached” on the authority of election officials, noting that the investigations “show an intent to satisfy Bolsonaro’s will.”
Bolsonaro responded to Moraes by saying, “The poll companies will continue to lie. How many votes do they pull to the other side? People generally vote for whoever is in front,” according to AFP.
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