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Brazil's far-right presidential hopeful Bolsonaro 'recovering well' after knife attack

FAR-RIGHT presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro was reported to be recovering well in a Sao Paulo hospital today after being attacked at a campaign rally in Minas Gerais.

Doctors said he had suffered a deep and life-threatening stab wound to his intestines and had lost 40 per cent of his blood.

He was running a poor second in opinion polls behind former left-wing president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, but the front runner’s hopes of standing again were dashed by the Supreme Court on Thursday.

It told the popular ex-president that he would not be allowed to contest the election because he has been found guilty of trumped-up corruption charges and jailed.

Lula’s Workers Party has to notify its candidate by Tuesday or miss out on the election. It is likely to nominate its current vice-presidential contender Fernando Haddad.

Mr Haddad called the attack on Mr Bolsonaro “absurd and regrettable.”

The far-right candidate, who represents the Social Liberal Party, claims to be a tough campaigner against crime

He supports a relaxation of gun control laws and is backed by evangelical Christians enthralled by his denial of a women’s right to choose.

Mr Bolsonaro has also equated homosexuality with paedophilia and told a congresswoman that she was too ugly to be raped.

He is currently being investigated for racism over derogatory remarks about Afro-Brazilians.

Mr Haddad was charged with corruption earlier this week and, like Lula, denies any wrongdoing.

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