Pubdate: Thu, 26 Sep 2002 Source: Tuscaloosa News, The (AL) Copyright: 2002 The Tuscaloosa News Contact: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1665 Author: Associated Press FRONT-RUNNER FAVORS COLOMBIA POLICY RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) - The front-runner in Brazil's presidential race indicated Thursday he would not change current policy of opposing U.S. financial and military aid to Colombia in its war on drugs. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of the leftist Workers Party is far ahead of the other candidates in the polls. If his numbers improve only slightly, he could win in the first round on Oct. 6 without a run-off Oct. 27. In an interview with O Globo television, Lula suggested he would not change the country's foreign policy. Outgoing President Fernando Henrique Cardoso opposes U.S. financial and military aid in Colombia's drug-trafficking efforts. Cardoso fears that the aid could lead to a further escalation of Colombia's civil war and spill over into Brazil's little-protected Amazon border region. International intervention in Colombia's civil war under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking is not acceptable, Lula said in an interview. "It's up to the Colombian government to resolve the crisis in Colombia," he said. The latest survey by the pollster Ibope showed Lula was favored by 41 percent of respondents. The institute interviewed 3,000 people across the nation between Sept. 18-21, with a margin of error of about 2 percent. A distant second was government candidate Jose Serra with 18 percent. Former Rio de Janeiro state Gov. Anthony Garotinho had 15 percent, and former Finance Minister Ciro Gomes 12 percent. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh