The GUE/NGL group raises dissent over the political conditions in which the Brazilian election took place over the weekend in the following statement:

After the first round of the Brazilian presidential election the extreme right-wing candidate, Jair Bolsonaro, gathered most of the votes. The elections were marked, most notably in the last days, by a huge campaign involving much manipulation of public opinion. Despite those attempts, Jair Bolsonaro will be obliged to go to the second ballot against Fernando Haddad, the left-wing candidate who received 29.3 per cent of the first-round votes.
 
Brazilian voters will have to make a crucial decision in the next round: between a progressive candidate fighting for increased social fairness and against poverty, and an extreme right-wing candidate who spreads hatred and adores the military dictatorship.

There is still a possibility to stop the regressive backlash of an admirer of fascist regimes. The unity of all democratic and progressive forces and the mobilisation of the people is fundamental to achieve this objective.

GUE/NGL expresses its warm solidarity to the Brazilian people and to all progressives and democrats who will face a huge battle for democracy in their country in the days leading up to October 28.
 
GUE/NGL once again recalls with discontent the difficult conditions in which these Brazilian Presidential elections took place: the coup that contributed to the removal of the legitimate President of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff; the political and judicial persecution against Lula da Silva which prevented him from running as a candidate, put him in prison and forbade him to vote; the illegitimate presidency of Michel Temer; the serious social problems affecting a big part of the Brazilian working people; the deep crisis of democratic institutions in which the politicisation of justice plays a significant role; as well as the colossal manipulation operation promoted by the mainstream media and social media networks.