Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro traded corruption accusations and personal attacks during their first head-to-head runoff debate on Sunday, Oct. 18, one week before Brazil's Oct. 25 presidential election.
The two-hour broadcast was hosted by Band TV in São Paulo. It was marked by interruptions and claims about investigations involving relatives and political allies, which left limited time for a sustained discussion of policy. The candidates nevertheless clashed over public security, healthcare, the economy, and government spending.
Bolsonaro promised a tougher stance against organized crime and criticized Lula's spending. Lula defended his government's priorities and called for joint action with state authorities on security. On economic policy, Lula emphasized investment in small businesses.
Bolsonaro argued that budget cuts were needed to curb public debt. Lula also proposed that both candidates disclose their bank and phone records as they sparred over corruption allegations. The debate followed a close first round in which Bolsonaro received 47% of valid votes to Lula's 45%.
A poll cited by G1 put both candidates within a technical tie. With voting just days away, both campaigns were competing for undecided voters in a sharply polarized race.