A televised clash a week before the runoff

Brazil's president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and senator Flávio Bolsonaro met on Sunday night, 18 October, for their first televised debate, held at the Band studios in São Paulo. Lula had declined to take part before the first round, and according to EL PAÍS the encounter lasted more than two hours. Both men leaned on personal attacks more than policy proposals, and the two candidates were tied in opinion polls going into the final week.

In the first round on 4 October, Bolsonaro took 47% of the vote and Lula 45%, according to Le Temps and AD. Lula, 80, is seeking a fourth, non-consecutive term. Bolsonaro, 45, is a senator for the far-right Liberal Party (PL).

Corruption accusations on both sides

Lula moved away from his rival on stage to signal distance from what he called a militiaman, a reference to alleged ties between the senator and paramilitary groups that control poor neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro. Bolsonaro replied that it was better to keep Lula at a distance so his wallet would not be stolen, and he held up the word 'corrupt' written on his palm.

Lula repeatedly demanded explanations for a possible corruption investigation involving Bolsonaro, which the senator did not address. ABC reports that the probe concerns about 134 million reais (23.5 million euros) allegedly negotiated with Daniel Vorcaro, former owner of Banco Master, to fund the film Dark Horse about Jair Bolsonaro, which has no release date yet. Lula also said Eduardo Bolsonaro had fled to the United States to conspire against Brazil.

Bolsonaro countered with three open investigations into Lulinha, Fábio Luís Lula da Silva, the president's eldest son, over alleged influence peddling in his father's government. Before the debate, he had also drawn on an interview given the day before to CNN Brasil by lobbyist Roberta Luchsinger, who is implicated with the eldest son in an alleged influence-peddling case.

Flávio Bolsonaro47%

Lula da Silva45%

Flávio Bolsonaro

47 %

Lula da Silva

45 %

Data from the article text

Insults and interruptions on stage

Lula called Bolsonaro a clown and a serial liar, and he accused the senator of lying as a family habit. When Bolsonaro cited first lady Janja da Silva as an example of unnecessary public spending, Lula responded with insults of his own. Bolsonaro told Lula that Brazil would retire him, according to Le Temps and EL PAÍS.

Lula said he wanted every vote, including that of his rival's father, Jair Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup. Shouts and applause came from both sides of the hall, and Bolsonaro was booed after interrupting Lula outside his speaking time. Bolsonaro stood behind his rival several times while Lula spoke to the camera, shaking his head in denial.

What comes next

AD describes Sunday's encounter as the first of two debates. EL PAÍS reports that Lula's campaign has pressed Bolsonaro to explain where he would find 250,000 million reais (about 50,000 million dollars) in public spending cuts, though Lula did not raise that point directly on stage. The second round is set for Sunday, 25 October.