Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazilian presidential hopeful Aecio Neves on Thursday insisted his proposals would transform the country, while lambasting the ruling party embroiled in deepening allegations of corruption involving state-owned oil giant Petrobras.
"I am the candidate of the forces of change," Neves told reporters in Rio as he awaited the expected support of environmentalist Marina Silva, whom he beat in last Sunday's first round.
Silva, whose voters are now key to the outcome of this month's run-off, had been expected to announce her support Thursday.
But she delayed the decision as she and her advisors map out concessions they want from Neves, mainly on the environment and political reform as well as Indian land rights.
"I cannot speculate on a decision which is not mine to make," Neves said in allusion to Silva, whose endorsement could swing enough votes his way to secure a victory -- a prospect that looked within reach as the latest polls showed him edging just ahead of Rousseff by 46 percent to 44.
The polls, by Ibope and Datafolha, have a two percent margin for error, meaning the two candidates are in a technical dead heat.
"We mustn't create a fantasy -- that would be dishonest," said Neves, insisting he had his program featuring some political reform and more economic orthodox liberalism which 35 million people voted for at the weekend.
Workers Party (PT) incumbent Dilma Rousseff beat Social Democrat Neves, the grandson of a former president, in the first round vote.
But she needs at least 40 percent of Silva's 20 million voters to win re-election and deny Neves.
Insisting he offered an "ethical, efficient government guaranteeing respect for sustainability and job creation" and with no news from Silva, Neves preferred to attack the PT on the latest allegations involving a huge kickbacks scandal at Petrobras.
Rousseff was energy minister and Petrobras board chair at a time when, according to a whistleblower former director, dozens of politicians, mainly from the PT and its allies, benefited from huge kickbacks.
"These are very serious allegations. The house of cards which the PT government became is falling," Neves insisted after testimony by former Petrobras director Paulo Roberto Costa surfaced on the Internet.
Costa says some three percent of negotiated contracts accrued to politicians in sweeteners -- most for PT lawmakers but also two centrist allies.
"I received the money in cash, at home, in a shop, in my office," said Costa, currently under house arrest.
Another accused, money changer Alberto Youssef, alleges the kickbacks scheme benefited at least three parties during the 2010 presidential campaign.