Firing off personal attacks, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro held an acrimonious first debate on Sunday, a week before a tight presidential election runoff.
A chaotic exchange between the two men, who called each other liars on multiple occasions, accusing each other of corruption and dragging up various scandals, encapsulated the tone of a bitter election campaign in the deeply polarised nation.
Bolsonaro, 45, son of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, secured a shock first-round lead over Lula earlier this month and polls predict a close battle for the runoff on 25 October.
The two men sparred over the economy, public security, healthcare, corruption and Brazil’s ties to the United States.
“Brazil is going to retire you,” fired off Bolsonaro, seeking to unnerve his adversary by pacing up and down behind him throughout the debate in view of the camera, shaking his head, smirking and scoffing while his adversary spoke.
Lula called Bolsonaro “a habitual liar, a thug,” and said he did not want to stand close to a “militiaman,” alluding to his alleged ties to Rio de Janeiro’s paramilitary groups.
Bolsonaro, who made several jabs about Lula’s time jailed for corruption on charges that were later annulled, retorted that it was better he stay at a distance “because my wallet could be stolen.”
Lula, who at almost 81 is seeking a fourth term in power, battled to control his irritation at times and repeatedly asked viewers to “look it up on Google” to prove his adversary was lying.
While Bolsonaro has led in polls since the first round, his edge slightly narrowed in two polls this week which showed him with 51% of voting intentions compared to 49% for Lula.
‘Subservient’ to US interests
Bolsonaro hammered away at the primary concerns of Brazilians, such as the cost of living and insecurity, and accused Lula of “reckless spending to get re-elected” due to various social measures he has announced while campaigning.
Lula countered by asking Bolsonaro about his plans to emulate the drastic “chainsaw” cuts to public spending implemented by Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei, which led to higher unemployment and cuts to benefits.
Throughout the debate, Bolsonaro dodged the question and pivoted to different topics.
Lula questioned the right winger’s his ties to US President Donald Trump, an ally of the Bolsonaro family, and plans to “hand over” Brazil’s rare earth minerals.
“It is striking how the Bolsonaro family is subservient to American interests,” said Lula.
Former president Jair Bolsonaro came up several times, including when his son asked Lula why so many prisoners had supported him in the election.
Lula said he wanted all of their votes, including that of Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for a botched coup bid after his failed 2022 re-election bid.
“Vote for me, Bolsonaro, you know your son, you know I’m better than him.”
Top concern
Corruption is a top concern for many Brazilian voters ahead of the weekend runoff vote but experts say its greatest impact may not be on which candidates voters choose, but on whether they decide to sit out of the election altogether.
In the minds of many Brazilians, both candidates are associated with graft and for those who strongly support either candidate, such alleged ties will do little to curb their enthusiasm.
But experts say that a generalised perception of corruption can increase abstention and anti-incumbency sentiment, potentially benefiting Bolsonaro, who received 2.2 million more votes than Lula in the first round.
During the first round, many lined up to cast their votes wearing either red hats and T-shirts — signalling support for Lula’s party — or the yellow and green of the Brazilian flag adopted by Bolsonaro’s movement, reflecting the polarisation gripping the country.
Supporters of Bolsonaro and Lula are highly distrustful of the other side and view their opponents as a threat. Such voters are less likely to give weight to allegations of corruption, experts say.
“We have a great ability to filter information that goes against our beliefs,” said Nara Pavão, a political science professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco. “People don’t want to discover the truth about their candidates, they want to beat the opponent.”
Camila Tobji de Aquino, a 19-year-old student of pedagogy and psychology, thinks that corruption is a cross-partisan issue and a significant problem in Brazil.
But her main concern is what she sees as the threat Flávio Bolsonaro poses to democracy.
“If I were to vote only for a candidate not tied to any corruption, I would vote blank,” she said. “But that’s not the choice Brazil is facing. For me it’s a question of being able to vote in the next election.”