Brazil’s Runoff Rivals Trade Barbs and Policy Pitches in Final Debate

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro met Friday for their second and final debate before Sunday’s presidential runoff, with a poll showing the race tied. The two-hour event was calmer than their first clash, according to ABC News, though it still produced three tense exchanges.

The debate was held in Rio de Janeiro and broadcast on TV Globo, Brazil’s most popular broadcaster, ABC News reported. Al Jazeera said the candidates spent much of the night on policy, questioning each other about the economy, infrastructure and regional development.

How the final debate played out

Lula, who is 80 and seeking his fourth nonconsecutive term, challenged Bolsonaro’s plan to cut public spending sharply, drawing a comparison to Argentina’s libertarian president, Javier Milei, according to Al Jazeera. Bolsonaro replied that Lula was leaving the country bankrupt. He also accused the incumbent of allowing organized crime to grow, pushing families into debt and failing to address the cost of living.

Lula questioned his rival’s experience and said Bolsonaro does not know Brazil. Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, presented himself as a capable candidate who represents change, Al Jazeera reported. The two also discussed the minimum wage, public security, Brazil’s free health care system and incentives for agribusiness, according to ABC News.

Three tense moments

The first flare-up came when Bolsonaro used a derogatory nickname for Lula that many of his supporters use. The nickname refers to an accident Lula suffered while working as a metalworker. Lula demanded an apology, and Bolsonaro gave one, both outlets reported.

Lula then called Bolsonaro a vigilante, a reference to militias linked to police officers that operate in poor communities in Rio de Janeiro. Al Jazeera described the remark as alluding to alleged ties between Bolsonaro and paramilitary groups. Bolsonaro said he would classify those groups as narcoterrorists.

The third exchange was between Bolsonaro and the mother of a 5-year-old who was killed in a shootout involving a police officer who had Bolsonaro as his lawyer. Bolsonaro said he does not believe his client was guilty.

Why it matters: a tied race for the region’s biggest economy

Bolsonaro finished first in the initial round of voting on Oct. 4, with 47% to Lula’s 45%. But a Datafolha survey published Thursday suggested the two are now tied at 50% each, compared with a four-point Bolsonaro lead in polls released two weeks earlier, according to Al Jazeera.

With so few undecided voters left, ABC News reported, both candidates used the debate to appeal to that small group. The winner will lead Latin America’s biggest economy and a population of 214 million.

The result could also shift Brazil’s foreign relations, according to ABC News. Bolsonaro is an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, and a win for him would increase U.S. influence in Latin America. If Lula wins, Brazil would keep its distance from Washington and continue to deepen its relationship with China, the outlet reported.

What happens next

Both candidates were expected to take supporters to the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo on Saturday in their last campaign push, ABC News and Al Jazeera reported. Voters go to the polls Sunday.

Around Prague, based on reporting by ABC News, Al Jazeera