Bolsonaro Racks Up New Party Endorsements for Brazil Presidency

Brazil presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro won the backing of two center-right parties on Wednesday, a day after a veteran lawmaker endorsed him, bolstering his campaign ahead of a tight runoff.

The União Brasil party and the Progressistas, known as PP, endorsed the right-wing hopeful, Senator Tereza Cristina Dias told reporters in Brasilia. Bolsonaro said he will respect the Constitution and the nation’s politics, while also vowing to serve only one term as head of state if elected in the Oct. 25 runoff.

“There will be stability, peace so everyone can work, as well as respect for the Constitution,” Bolsonaro told reporters. “Brazil will go back to normal.”

Bolsonaro is moving to consolidate support and counter criticism over his lack of governing experience as he prepares to face leftist incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the second round. On Tuesday, he secured the backing of former Goias state governor and ex-presidential contender Ronaldo Caiado, and he said he also met with members of the centrist parties Republicanos and Podemos. The campaign expects to finalize political party endorsements by Thursday.

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The support could prove significant in the coming runoff, given that Bolsonaro fell less than three percentage points short of the outright majority needed to win the nation’s top job in Sunday’s first round vote.

On Tuesday, Bolsonaro said he could use a congressional majority to amend the Constitution if he becomes president. The election produced a more right-leaning legislature, raising the possibility of securing majorities in both the Senate and the lower house and electing the leaders of both chambers, he said.

On Wednesday, he pointed to judicial, tax and public security reforms, as well as a move to limit presidents to a single term, as policies he would pursue that would require constitutional changes.

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