Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday that he believed the US people would vote for the Democrat candidate Barack Obama in the upcoming presidential election because of the international financial crisis, local media reported.

Lula made the remarks in a meeting with businessmen in Sao Paulo. It was the first time Lula expressed his opinion on the US presidential election, which will take place on November 4.

The crisis would help Obama's campaign for the US presidency, Lula was quoted as saying.

"There may not be large conceptual and ideological differences between Democrats and Republicans. But from a symbolic point of view, electing a black man in the US is a challenge to its people," Lula added.

Lula reaffirmed that the global financial crisis is the consequence of "irresponsible gambling" in the international financial system, which he compared to a casino. He said Brazil was prepared to fight the adverse situation.

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2008)