Walk into a polling station in Belford Roxo, an impoverished city on the fringes of Rio de Janiero, on October 5 and you will be faced with an historic choice. You could vote for Alcides Rolim, the Workers’ Party mayoral candidate promising a “city for all” or Elizeu Pitorra, a local communist who believes it is “time for a change”. Most voters, however, will probably opt for Barack Obama, a 39-year-old Brazilian who, until recently, was known as Claudio Henrique dos Anjos.
In Brazil, candidates can run under whatever name they want. 6 candidates are running for office as Barack Obama.