Brazil’s fiery leftwing former president, luiz Inacio lula da Silva, retains a strong lead ahead of presidential elections despite his conviction on graft charges, according to an opinion poll on Wednesday.
An appeals court last week upheld a money laundering and corruption conviction against lula and imposed a more than 12 year prison sentence. The sentence means that the Workers’ Party founder and icon of the latin American left has few avenues left to being allowed to run in October’s election.
Despite the scandal, lula remains a clear frontrunner, the respected Datafolha pollsters found in the first survey since the appeals court decision.