BOLSONARO WIDENS LEAD IN BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTIAL RACE

FAR-RIGHT candidate Jair Bolsonaro gained ground over his rivals in the first round of Brazil’s presidential election set for October 7, a new poll showed yesterday, although it remains unclear who he will face in an expected run-off vote later next month.

Bolsonaro, pictured, is recovering in hospital from a near-fatal stabbing two weeks ago.

He is backed by 28% of the voters surveyed by polling firm Datafolha, a gain of two points since the previous poll a week ago.

The Workers Party’s candidate, Fernando Haddad, surged into second place with 16% of the voters surveyed backing him, a 3 percentage point rise, but he is statistically tied with Ciro Gomes, a centre-left populist.

Datafolha surveyed 8 601 voters across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Haddad replaced jailed former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the ticket nine days ago.