posted September 17, 2008 08:36 PM            

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Barack Obama is running for mayor in Belford Roxo, a little town close to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is also trying to become a mayor and a city council member in at least five other towns around Brazil, in the Brazilian October municipal elections. Not that Barack Obama though.

Thanks to Brazilian electoral legislation, which allows candidates to choose whatever name they want to appear on ballot, Brazilian politicians are using high name recognition of Barack Obama to advance their own political career.

The Rio Obama calls himself Obama of Belford Roxo. He is black and speaks English. But that's where the similarities end. The Brazilian Obama is not quite as fit as its Yankee counterpart and until now wasn't able to raise any money. His real name is Cláudio Henrique dos Anjos, but he has registered at the Brazilian election board as Cláudio Henrique Barack Obama.

According to Brazil's national election board five candidates running for alderman and one running for mayor have Obama in the name they registered. Dos Anjos wishes to make history becoming the first black mayor of his town, the same way, the real Obama wants to become the first black American president.