Brazil officials resign to seek new posts, boost Bolsonaro

By DÉBORA ÁLVARES and DIANE JEANTET
Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Ten Cabinet members and other top officials of Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro have left their positions as they gear up to run for office and help boost the president’s reelection chances in October elections. Top officials must resign in order to run for other positions. The shake-up is an important step toward the hotly anticipated election expected to pit Bolsonaro against his political nemesis, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Polls have consistently shown far-right Bolsonaro trailing well behind leftist da Silva, and the president will need all the help he can get to close the gap.