Brazilian Pres. Candidates Avoid Direct Confrontation

Brasilia, Oct 2. -The top presidential candidates in Brazil avoided direct confrontation during the last TV debate prior to the general elections on Sunday.

For a couple of hours, four of the nine presidential hopefuls exchanged questions and answers on their election platforms regarding health, housing, social services, and other issues.

However, they failed to deal with current pressing issues such as the sharp drop in the dollar on the currency exchange market, a serious threat to exports, or foreign policy, even though the debate occurred at the same time as an attempted coup in Ecuador.

The participating candidates were Dilma Rousseff, from the ruling Workers Party (PT); Jose Serra, from the opposition Social Democratic Party (PSDB), both leading voters' intention in that order; Marina Silva, from the Green Party (PV), and Plinio de Arruda Sampaio, from the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL).

During the debate, Rousseff stuck to the same strategy she has used throughout the campaign, highlighting the performance of the Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva administration during his eight years in office, and noting that she is the best option for continuing and consolidating that work.

"My objective is for Brazil to become a developed country, something we can only achieve by eradicating poverty and sharing the riches fairly," she stressed. (Prensa Latina)