Claims for Haddad's Votes to Multiply in Brazil

Brasilia, Oct 17 (Prensa Latina) Just over a week before the second round of presidential elections in Brazil, the claims for votes for the candidate of the Workers'' Party (PT), Fernando Haddad, are multiplying across the board.

In a video released on social media, the renowned actor Wagner Moura appealed on Tuesday to former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and President-elect Ciro Gomes to support Haddad, 'as the only way to stop fascism's rise, represented by the candidacy of Jair Bolsonaro'.

Moura regretted the stabbing to death of the capoeira master Moa do Katende, in Salvador de Bahia, and the brutal aggression suffered by a young woman who was marked with a swastika on her body, violent acts perpetrated in both cases by followers of the far-right Bolsonaro, representative of the Liberal Social Party (PSL).

Writer and publisher Luiz Schwarcz, founder and owner of the Company of Letters, one of the largest publishing houses in the country, sent a letter on Tuesday to authors, publishers and booksellers, in which he suggested to all those who appreciate freedom of expression to vote for Haddad.

In his letter, Schwarcz stressed that the editorial line of the group always placed a clear emphasis on just causes, publishing books in support of minorities, reflecting plurality and positioning against racial discrimination and in favor of freedom of expression.

He also suggested that his fellow editors vote for Haddad, positioning themselves against diffusely prejudiced discourse, authoritarianism and intolerance, symbols of the other pole announced as an alternative in the second round of this election, he wrote.

'Bolsonaro's candidacy is falsely new and is synonymous with dark times in our political and cultural life,' he warned.

Regarding the presidential candidate, he said that his moderate profile within the party allows him to hope that the numerous misunderstandings of the PT in several areas will not be repeated and that the organization will return to the commitments marked its origin.

Support for Haddad's candidacy was also expressed by the governor of the northeastern state of Ceara, Camilo Santana (PT), who said he was absolutely convinced that this is the most prepared president and the only one capable of promoting the dialogue, understanding and union of forces that the country so badly needs in order to grow.

Haddad does not represent a party, but a project for Brazil, said the governor and said he could never believe in Bolsonaro, who professes hatred, violence, intolerance, and even declared that he would discriminate against those federative entities whose authorities were not his allies.

The repudiation of Bolsonaro, said the digital newspaper Brasil 247, was also expressed on Tuesday by different political groups members of the European Parliament, who signed an International Statement against Fascism in Brazil, in which they called on the citizens of this nation to reflect on the seriousness of the current historical moment.

'There can be no neutrality between democracy and fascism,' warned MEPs in the document.