Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro argued about prices, safety and claims of corruption in their final televised debate Friday as they sought votes before Sunday’s closely contested presidential runoff.
The debate, hosted by TV Globo in Rio de Janeiro, lasted more than two hours. It gave the candidates one last major chance to make their case directly to voters. The exchange was calmer than their first debate five days earlier.
But they continued to make sharp personal attacks. Lula defended his government’s increases to the minimum wage and efforts to fight hunger. Bolsonaro blamed rising food prices on Lula’s administration and criticized its tax changes.
The candidates also argued about security. Each accused the other of wrongdoing. At one point, Bolsonaro mocked Lula for losing a finger in a workplace accident.
Lula demanded that Bolsonaro take back the remark, and Bolsonaro apologized. Bolsonaro then challenged the president to address Brazilians’ concerns about safety and debt. A Datafolha poll published Thursday put the rivals level at 50% each among the voters surveyed.
Bolsonaro had held a lead earlier in the campaign. The runoff is set for October 25. Both campaigns are making a final push to win over voters who have not yet decided.