BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (Reuters) - The left-wing frontrunner in Brazil's presidential election criticized President Bush on Wednesday for showing scant interest in Latin America as he focuses on "his private war" with Iraq.
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a three-time failed candidate who appears within reach of becoming the leader of the region's diplomatic heavyweight, added Latin American leaders were "very servile" to U.S. interests.
"I think Americans never attached much importance to Latin America. I think Bush even less ... mainly because our leaders have been very servile to American policies," the candidate, known as "Lula," said in an interview with Argentine Todo Noticias television.
Bush, who speaks some Spanish, took office emphasizing his interest in Latin America but last year's hijacked plane attacks diverted his focus to fighting U.S. enemies.
The United States, which believes Iraq is a threat because it is amassing weapons of mass destruction, is seeking international support for a possible military strike against Iraq despite doubts from key world powers like Russia.
"I believe that Bush is less worried over the problems of hunger, unemployment, of the misery in Latin America, of the ecological problems of Latin America. He's much more worried about his private war with Saddam Hussein," he added in a rare interview with the foreign news media.
Supporters say Lula is a fiscally responsible social democrat but markets fear he is a radical leftist wolf in sheep's clothing.
The Workers' Party candidate seems on the verge of a first-round victory on Oct. 6 in Latin America's biggest country. Polls show he has almost twice the support of his nearest rival, market favorite Jose Serra of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's Brazilian Social Democratic Party.
Analysts see Lula's rise as another sign Latin America is increasingly rejecting a decade of U.S.-encouraged free-market reforms that are perceived as having done little to improve living conditions for its inhabitants.
MARKETS FEARFUL
Lula's popularity has hit markets, which, despite his more moderate speeches, trimmed beard and media-savvy campaign, fear he has not shaken off his more radical past.
Lula denied that, saying "(The Workers Party) no longer sparks the panic it produced in Brazilian society."
Investors worry he could turn away from free-market reforms or mismanage Brazil's $260 billion debt burden if he wins.
The currency, the real, fell 3 percent on Wednesday after the latest poll showed Lula's support rising to 42 percent from 39 percent and Serra declining to 17 percent from 19 percent. A candidate needs 50 percent of the valid vote to win outright in the first round.
Lula said he opposed the current plan for a Free Trade Area of the Americas pact because it was dominated by the United States. "It is not about integration but about annexation and we don't want to be annexed."
In other statements this year, Lula had toned down criticism of FTAA -- a hemisphere-wide free-trade zone. Brazil and other Latin American nations have expressed skepticism of U.S. trade policy and the benefits of a deal for the region.
Lula bids for the presidency as Brazil is battling to avoid economic chaos that shook neighboring Argentina this year after it defaulted on its public debt.
Cardoso secured a record $30 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund intended to sooth investor concerns over the transition of government in Brazil. But Lula left open whether he would use these funds if elected.
"The central government is going to use scarcely $6 billion and afterward we are going to decide if we take the other part or not," he said.
"I don't believe in economic recovery for Brazil nor Argentina taking funds from the IMF or whoever. I believe in the recovery of Argentina and recovery of Brazil will come from the productive capacity. For this I am going to work so that Brazil does not need IMF loans," he added.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper which first published the article online and which is indicated at the top of the article unless otherwise specified.