Brazil heads to the polls without a single debate between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro

Brazilian voters are set to cast their ballots on Sunday, despite a glaring lack of a televised debate between the frontrunners, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Globo, the country's leading broadcaster, abruptly canceled the final presidential debate just an hour before it was scheduled to air, citing a series of court rulings and the absence of both candidates.

Lula had announced he wouldn't attend, opting instead for an interview with Flow podcast, while Bolsonaro cited censorship imposed by the Supreme Electoral Court. The Superior Electoral Court's decision to bar the TV station from showing an empty lectern and allowing other candidates to question Lula fueled the dispute. Supreme Federal Court justice Gilmar Mendes intervened, forcing the inclusion of Missão party candidate Renan Santos, who didn't meet the required number of members of Congress.

Both candidates have opted out of the Globo debate, claiming the event is marred by censorship and unfair conditions. Lula deemed the format "fruitless" and proposed debates be organized based on each candidate's electoral strength. With the last day of campaigning behind them, Lula, turning 81 on October 27, pledged to shorten the working week, while Bolsonaro called for a departure from the "old system."

Recent polls show the two leading contenders in a statistical tie, potentially heading into a runoff.