The distance between the two presidential candidates Jair Bolsonaro (PSL) and Fernando Haddad (PT) fell from 18 to 12 points in one week, according to a new Datafolha poll.

With three days until the runoff, Bolsonaro holds 56% of the valid votes, against 44% for the former São Paulo mayor. The previous survey, conducted on October 17th and 19th, the difference was 59% to 41%.

Datafolha surveyed 9,173 voters in 341 cities. The survey was commissioned by Folha and TV Globo and conducted on Wednesday (24th) and Thursday (25th). The margin of error is two percentage points up or down.

The variation is the most significant change in the voting intentions trend during the runoff campaign and reflects a period of negative news surrounding the PSL candidate.

Last week, Folha revealed that businesspeople bought packages of WhatsApp mass blasts with content against PT. The Electoral Court and the Federal Police are investigating.

On Sunday (21st) a video went viral on social media, in which Bolsonaro's son suggests during a lecture that "a soldier and a corporal" were enough to close the Brazilian Supreme Court in the case of a dispute against his father's victory.

The remark was widely condemned, including by Supreme Court justices, which made Bolsonaro issue an apology to the court.

On the same day, the candidate said, during a speech for São Paulo supporters filled with controversial comments. He suggested, for example, that the "reds" could be arrested or exiled -- the Workers' Party color is red. He also said that his opponent Haddad should be in jail with former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro lost points or had a negative variation in all regions of Brazil, although he is still keeping a lead. The exception is the Northeast, where Haddad has 56% of all votes and Bolsonaro, 30%.
 

^{Translated by NATASHA MADOV}
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