REAL PROBLEMS

On October 4, Brazilians go to the polls to choose a president, state governors, the Chamber of Deputies and one third of the Senate. These elections are an important step towards the consolidation of democrati c government in Brazil, after twenty one years of military rule (1964 - 1985) and a serious political crisis which led to the impeachment an d resignation of President Fernando Collor de Mello in December 1992. The process shows the maturing of the third largest democracy in the w orld - with 106 million voters in a population that has reached 165 mi llion.