Brazil's Lula, Bolsonaro clash in bitter debate ahead of election runoff

Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, will face off in their first presidential debate on Sunday evening, just a week before the election. The televised debate is expected to be crucial in a campaign marked by scandals and insults.

Flavio Bolsonaro has maintained a slight lead in recent polls, with 51% of voting intentions compared to 49% for Lula. Despite this, Bolsonaro's edge has narrowed slightly in two polls released this week.

Ahead of the debate, supporters of Flavio Bolsonaro rallied in Sao Paulo, chanting "Come back, Bolsonaro!" The message highlighted his enduring support among Brazil's conservatives, despite his father serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup in 2022.

Lula, who is 81 years old, has admitted that his campaign has been disorganized. He has enlisted young leftist influencers to help with his social media strategy and started taking selfies to connect with voters. Lula has also proposed various measures to win over voters, including debt forgiveness for microentrepreneurs, university scholarships, and the removal of fuel taxes. Critics have accused him of making costly promises as Brazil grapples with soaring public debt.

Bolsonaro, on the other hand, has focused on his tough-on-crime message and has vowed to free his jailed father. He has also vowed to implement El Salvador's controversial model of mass incarceration of gang members.