Brazilian presidential candidate withdraws candidacy and allies with Lula da Silva for October elections

Brazilian Congressman André Janones of the Avante party (center) announced Thursday that he is withdrawing his candidacy for the October presidential elections and will support the project of former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (2003-2011).

Janones, who has taken up the cause of fighting hunger, received only one percent of the vote in the latest poll conducted by the Datafolha Institute last week.

However, his alliance with Lula da Silva is important for several reasons: transferring votes among his constituents would primarily benefit the leftist candidate, and eliminating another competitor in the presidential race increases the chances that the former president will win in the first round.

Moreover, Janones comes from the state of Minas Gerais (southeast), which is considered a key region in elections because it always tips the scales, and is a young politician with a wide appeal on social media – a front on which Lula da Silva is far behind President Jair Bolsonaro’s digital campaign.

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