In narrow election, Brazil reelects leftists president

Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's leftist president, was re-elected on October 26, after one of Brazil's closest election races since it become a democracy about 30 years ago.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Rousseff had 51.6% of the vote in the run-off election, while her opponent, the center-right Aecio Neves only had 48.4%.

Join Pope Francis in 'Prayer and Action' to eradicate world hunger, your action makes a difference!

"My dears, my friends, we have arrived at the end of a campaign that intensely mobilized all the forces of this country," Rousseff said in front of a banner that showed Rousseff from her time as a rebel fighting the Brazilian military regime.

"I thank every Brazilian, without exception."

Rousseff also thanked her supporters, including her polical mentor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who chose her to take over for him in 2010.

However, Rousseff acknowledged the growing dissatisfaction with her rule by the people-dissatisfaction that came to a head over the 2014 Fifa World Cup. "I want to be a much better president than I have been until now," she said.

With this victory, the Workers' Party has ruled in Brazil since 2003, and it gives the leftist group the ability to continue the social transformation of one of the world's largest and fastest growing nations.

Under their control, Brazil has seen massive economic growth that has brought 40 million people out of poverty, reduced unemployment and made large gains in providing an adequate food supply.

Still, under Rousseff, the economy has slowed incredibly, often due to Rousseff's heavy-handed tactics and unpredictable policy making decisions. These include numerous corruption scandals, high inflation and frustration over poor health care and other public services.

"Dilma has social inclusion on her side, but the macroeconomic policies during her first four years in office have been very weak," said Carlos Pereira, a political analyst at Brazil's leading think tank, the Gertulio Vargas Foundation.

"Inflation has returned, the country is in a technical recession and public spending is out of control. It is less likely she will be able to offer social inclusion and macroeconomic stability at the same time."

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'