Brazil’s gross domestic product contracted by 0.6% in the second quarter of the year, putting the country’s economy into a recession, the IBGE statistics institute reported Friday. In absolute terms, the country’s GDP totaled 1.27 trillion Brazilian reais. The IBGE said the economy shrank by 0.9% versus the second quarter of 2013. The decline of the GDP in the quarter was led by the industrial sector, which contracted 1.5%, and services, which contracted 0.5%.  The IBGE also reported that the country’s GDP shrank by 0.2% in the first quarter of the year, revising an earlier figure showing growth of 0.2%. The latest GDP figures come as the country debates the effectiveness of the current administration’s economic policy ahead of presidential elections in October. The government of incumbent President Dilma Rousseff of the ruling Workers’ Party has come under criticism for high inflation, heavy government spending, elevated interest rates and low economic growth. Ms. Rousseff, however, has maintained a narrow lead over challengers in recent opinion polls with support from about 34% of voters.  According to recent central bank market surveys, Brazil’s economy is expected to grow by about 0.7% this year.