Lula, Bolsonaro both snub final debate before Brazil election
BRASÍLIA: Brazilian presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro on Thursday bowed out of the final debate ahead of elections pitting him against leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who also declined to attend.
Brazilian presidential candidates Flavio Bolsonaro and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva both decided against attending the final televised debate before the upcoming elections. Lula, the incumbent, opted to participate in a popular podcast with millions of YouTube subscribers, while his right-wing rival accused the electoral court of censorship to justify his withdrawal.
Both candidates have resorted to controversial tactics in the final stages of the polarized campaign, with Lula drawing criticism from Bolsonaro for suggesting that stripping Our Lady of Aparecida of her patron saint status would be a possibility if elected. The electoral court intervened by ordering the removal of false social media posts about the revered Black Madonna.
Lula, who is near 81 years old, will face Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, in the first-round vote on Sunday. Both candidates are closely matched in projections for a potential runoff on October 25. Bolsonaro's absence from the debate has been seen as an attempt to avoid criticism from other participants, but the program was canceled after he too withdrew, accusing the electoral court of censorship.
The United States has expressed interest in the closely-watched election, with President Donald Trump stating he was watching the vote "very closely."
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