Rio's state of emergency not political ploy: Temer

Brazil President Michel Temer has denied through his spokesperson Alexandre Parola, that the federal state of emergency declared about public safety in Rio de Janeiro had any political motivations.

In a statement on Wednesday, Temer said that the electoral agenda "is not nor will be the cause" of the federal takeover of Rio de Janeiro, amid spiralling crime, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The President reiterates that any decision of the government is exclusively based on the real needs of the country, the electoral agenda is not nor will be the cause of the government's actions," Parola told the press.

This declaration was in response to comments by former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who accused Temer of sending the army into Rio de Janeiro due to political interests.

On Wednesday morning, Lula, candidate for the Workers' Party (PT), said that Temer had carried out the federal intervention to take votes away from Jair Bolsonaro, a candidate of the Social Christian Party (PSC).

Bolsonaro, a former soldier and lawmaker known for his far-right views, is polling at around 15 per cent and has a real chance of qualifying for the second round of the election in October.

"Temer wants to take the votes of Bolsonaro and came up with sending the army in Rio de Janeiro," said Lula.

Lula, who is leading the poll about preferred candidates for the October elections, will be barred from running if he loses an appeal against a guilty verdict for corruption and money laundering, which would see him jailed for 12 years and one month.

--IANS

pgh/