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by Marcelo Cajueiro

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- The leading candidate in Brazil's presidential elections, Jair Bolsonaro, has a good advantage over other candidates in the first round simulation, but loses in the second round, according to an Ibope poll released on Monday evening.

According to the poll, Bolsonaro, from the Social Liberal Party (PSL), has 28 percent of voting intentions, remaining stable from the previous poll, while runner-up Fernando Haddad, from the Workers' Party (PT), continues to increase his popularity, advancing from 19 to 22 percent.

The Democratic Labor Party's (PDT) Ciro Gomes comes third, with 11 percent, also stable from the previous poll. Geraldo Alckmin, from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB), rises to 8 percent from 7 percent in the previous poll. Network's (Rede) Marina Silva continues in a downward trend, going from 6 to 5 percent.

Other eight candidates have, together, 8 percent of voting intentions. Twelve percent of interviewees said they will vote null, while 6 percent remain undecided.

Even though Bolsonaro remains in the lead in the first round stimulation, he seems to have reached a plateau, mostly because of his high rejection. Bolsonaro has the highest rejection rate by far: 46 percent.

Haddad, who replaced Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the PT's candidate, seems to have inherited the rejection to his party and Lula, at 30 percent. Marina Silva has a rejection rate of 25 percent, followed by Geraldo Alckmin, with 20 percent, and Ciro Gomes, with 18 percent.

As a consequence of his high rejection, Bolsonaro loses to all the possible rivals in the second round stimulation, even Haddad.Bar

According to Ibope, in a second round between Haddad and Bolsonaro, Haddad would have 43 percent of voting intentions, while Bolsonaro would have 37 percent. In the previous poll, the candidates were tied at 40 percent in this scenario. Null votes are 15 percent and undecided amount to 4 percent in this scenario.

If in a scenario against Ciro Gomes, Bolsonaro would have an even worse performance: Gomes has 46 percent of voting intentions against Bolsonaro with 35 percent, in addition to 15 percent of null votes and 4 percent undecided voters.

Alckmin would beat Bolsonaro with 41 percent against 36 percent, with 20 percent of nulls and 4 percent of undecided. Against Marina Silva, Bolsonaro ties at 39 percent, with 19 percent voting null and 4 percent undecided.

The poll has a margin of error of 2 percent, and was carried out on Sept. 22-23 with 2,506 voters from all over the country.