By Ricardo Brito
BRASILIA (Reuters) – A supporter of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday stabbed to death a backer of leftist former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, authorities said, in the latest example of rising political tensions ahead of the upcoming election.
The incident happened in the west-central state of Mato Grosso, after tempers frayed during an argument over support for the two candidates. Bolsonaro trails Lula in the polls in an election that is fueled by intense political polarization.
According to the police report of the incident, Rafael Silva de Oliveira, 24, killed Benedito Cardoso dos Santos, 42, by stabbing him with a knife. The suspect was taken to the police station, where he confessed and was charged.
Bolsonaro, who has long railed against Lula and his leftist allies, has floated the idea of not accepting any election loss, citing unfounded claims of election fraud and problems with Brazil’s widely respected electronic voting system.
In July, a similar incident occurred when a local official from Lula’s opposition Workers’ Party was shot dead by a federal prison guard shouting support for Bolsonaro.
On Friday morning, a Bolsonaro supporter was left with a head wound and said to have been assaulted by supporters of the Workers Party who were waiting for Lula to arrive at an event with evangelicals in the city of Sao Goncalo, in Rio de Janeiro state.
(Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Additional reporting by Pilar Olivares in Sao Goncalo and Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by Louise Heavens)
