Hardship for Brazil’s poor may cost Bolsonaro election

By MAURICIO SAVARESE and VICTOR CAIVANO
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s presidential election will be decided by tens of millions of poor people, and they look set to eject incumbent Jair Bolsonaro from office. The far-right leader is reminding them of his pandemic welfare program that morphed into a monthly handout equal to $112. The race’s frontrunner, leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, is rekindling memories of his 2003-2010 presidency when many poor Brazilians could suddenly afford beer and barbecue on the weekends. Since then, Brazil’s economy fallen into the dumps, rose to the doldrums and then fallen back again.