Marina tries to convey confidence: "we're already in the second round"
The PSB candidate, whose poll numbers have fallen, and who is also seeing the rise of Aécio Neves (PSDB), gave a confident speech during a visit to the Paraisópolis favela in São Paulo; "Brazilian society and I are already in the second round. We are fully convinced that Brazilians will not turn this election into a plebiscite," she stated; without explaining the CPMF episode, which she said she voted in favor of, but according to Senate records, voted against, Dilma retorted: "Lying is making a commitment and not fulfilling what you committed to."
SP 247 – A day after the release of Datafolha and Ibope polls, which showed a drop in Marina Silva's support and an increase in Aécio Neves's support, placing him in third position, the PSB candidate gave a speech that attempted to convey confidence this Tuesday, October 1st, during a press conference while visiting the Paraisópolis favela in São Paulo.
According to Datafolha, the scenario is 40% for President Dilma Rousseff (PT), who remained at the same level compared to the last poll, against 25% for Marina, who fell two points, and 20% for Aécio, who rose two points. Ibope showed 39% for Dilma (an increase of one point) against 25% for Marina (a drop of four points) and 19% for Aécio, who did not move.
Marina, however, sees herself confidently in the second round. "Brazilian society and I are already in the second round. We are fully convinced that Brazilians will not turn this election into a plebiscite," said the candidate. When questioned about the strategy she will use in light of the drop in the polls, she replied: "We will continue making our effort to respect Brazilians, to debate Brazil."
Without explaining the CPMF episode, a proposal she said she voted in favor of but, according to Senate records, voted against, the candidate rebutted Dilma and the PT campaign, which called her a liar: "Lying is making a commitment and not fulfilling that commitment." Read below in the Reuters report about Marina's agenda:
Marina responds to Dilma and says that the president's allies contradict her trajectory.
SÃO PAULO (Reuters) - PSB presidential candidate Marina Silva said on Wednesday that some of President Dilma Rousseff's associates, such as José Sarney, Fernando Collor and Renan Calheiros, contradict the Workers' Party leader's trajectory and that the president should be concerned with honoring it.
During a visit to the Paraisópolis community in the southern part of São Paulo, Marina also countered statements made by the president, who said that the PSB candidate lied when she claimed that, as a senator, she voted in favor of the Provisional Contribution on Financial Transactions (CPMF).
"The company that the president keeps, of Collor, Sarney, Maluf, Renan Calheiros, Jader Barbalho and so many others, that is certainly the true contradiction, the deepest contradiction in the trajectory of people who should be honoring their trajectory," Marina exclaimed.
The former senator was responding to an advertisement from Dilma's campaign that claims Marina is allied with "old politics" and with figures who had ties to the dictatorship, such as former senators Jorge Bornhausen and Heráclito Fortes.
Marina joined the campaign rallies of Paulo Bornhausen, the PSB candidate for Senate in Santa Catarina and son of Jorge Bornhausen, who is supported by Heráclito, a PSB candidate for federal deputy in Piauí.
Some of the names mentioned by Marina as Dilma's "companions," such as Senator José Sarney (PMDB-AP) and Federal Deputy Paulo Maluf (PP-SP), were also outside of Arena, the party that supported the military regime, as were Bornhausen and Heráclito.
Marina also reiterated that Dilma lies, after the president had said the same about her opponent and declared that lying is a character flaw.
"Lying is making a commitment and then not fulfilling that commitment," said the PSB candidate, referring to Dilma's 2010 campaign promise to build 6 daycare centers.
She also drew on her own biography to affirm in a speech to the residents that she knows what it is to be illiterate and knows what it is like to live in a community.
"Everything I say is not just a speech, it's a life commitment," he stated. "Those who make the change are the Brazilian people, who have to choose between the fantasy Brazil of propaganda and the real Brazil, which presents many demands in health, education, and security," he affirmed.
Asked in the press conference about the opinion polls, which indicate a decrease in her lead over the PSDB candidate, Aécio Neves, and a consequent tightening of the race for a spot in the second round against Dilma, who leads in the polls, Marina reiterated her confidence that she will be in the second round.
"Brazilian society and I are already in the second round," he asserted. "We remain firm in our purpose to change Brazil."
(Reporting by Eduardo Simões)