Corruption Probes Hamper Lula Efforts to Save Brazil Government
- Higher number of Brazilians say Lula was involved in graft
- "Aura of invincibility is completely dissipated" -- Eurasia
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Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is losing some of his political capital, as spreading corruption investigations into the activities of his inner circle threaten his credibility.
A growing number of Brazilians blame the predecessor and mentor to President Dilma Rousseff for the country’s largest-ever corruption scandal, which involves kickbacks at state-run oil company Petrobras, according to polling company MDA. Lula, who for years was the most popular politician in the country, now trails or remains statistically tied with various opposition leaders, including two who lost to Rousseff last year, according to hypothetical election scenarios carried out by MDA on Oct. 20-24.