Lula, Bolsonaro hold calmer debate before Brazil election

• Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro held a calmer debate before Brazil’s runoff election, but still traded sharp attacks over the economy, spending, crime and living costs.
• Bolsonaro accused Lula of weak leadership and rising insecurity, while Lula said Bolsonaro did not know Brazil and rejected being called “nine fingers”.
• A Datafolha poll on Oct 22 put them level at 50% each, after Bolsonaro had led by four points two weeks earlier.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his right-wing rival Flavio Bolsonaro debated more diplomatically than usual on Oct 23, although neither held back with cutting remarks two days before the run-off election.

Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, won the first round of presidential elections with 47% of the vote over leftist Lula’s 45%.

Following a first debate loaded with insults and practically empty of concrete policy proposals, the candidates questioned each other on Brazil’s economy, infrastructure and regional development this time round.

Lula challenged his rival’s plan to take a “chainsaw” to public spending in the style of Argentina’s libertarian leader Javier Milei.

“I’ll have the same job here (as Milei in Argentina) because you’re leaving the country bankrupt,” Bolsonaro retorted, adding: “Aren’t you ashamed?”

Flavio Bolsonaro accused the President of allowing organised crime to expand, driving families into debt, and doing nothing to reduce the cost of living.

The right-wing candidate also reproached Lula for raising the minimum wage while keeping taxes high, mocking the finger the President had lost in an accident as a metalworker when he was young.

“It’s no use, Lula, giving with one hand and taking away with your nine fingers.”

“I will not allow a militiaman to call me ‘nine fingers’,” Lula replied, referring to allegations that his rival has ties to paramilitary groups in Rio de Janeiro.

Bolsonaro apologised to Lula, but not without asking him to “apologise to the Brazilian people who suffer from insecurity”.

Lula questioned the senator’s experience, insisting that “he doesn’t know Brazil”.

His challenger doubled down on presenting himself as a capable candidate who represented change for the country.

Lula repeatedly asked viewers to “Google” Bolsonaro’s claims, to which the senator shot back: “Who governs Brazil, you or Google?”

A Datafolha institute survey published on Oct 22 shows the pair tied with 50% of voting intentions each, compared with Bolsonaro’s four-point lead in polls published two weeks ago. AFP