Lula and Bolsonaro in dead heat as Brazil goes to polls
TV Globo canceled the final presidential debate after both frontrunners withdrew, depriving 158 million registered voters of a chance to compare candidates, according to broadcaster statements.
- On Thursday, TV Globo canceled Brazil's final presidential debate after frontrunners President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro declined to attend, depriving voters of a last-minute face-off before Sunday's election.
- Lula refused to attend, arguing "You cannot bring someone who has 49% to debate with someone who has 1%," citing unfair matchups with lower-polling candidates.
- Citing "censorship imposed by the electoral court," Bolsonaro withdrew hours before airtime after TSE rulings removed his opponent's empty seat and forced inclusion of candidate Renan Santos.
- The cancellation deprived about 158 million voters of a final face-off, marking the first time in 20 years that Brazil's leading candidates rejected a public confrontation before voting.
- Candidates may face renewed pressure to debate during the three weeks before an October 25 runoff if neither wins outright on Sunday, shifting their avoidance strategy.
205 Articles
205 Articles
Between polemics about the patron saint of Brazil and television debate cancelled at the last minute, the campaign for the first round of the presidential election on Sunday in Brazil is coming to an end in a
Brazil's Lula, Bolsonaro snub final TV debate ahead of Sunday's polls
Leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro are frontrunners in Sunday's race. Both skipped a planned TV debate, opting to avoid direct confrontation before the first round of voting.
For the first time in the history of Brazilian democracy, the television network Globo suspended the traditional presidential debate that preceded Sunday’s elections, amid judicial actions presented by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other candidates, and the resistance of Flavio Bolsonaro shortly before the event. The unprecedented cancellation occurs while the polls show the two main candidates in a technical tie, with a slight advanta…
Brazilians Head to the Polls Sunday in Tight Presidential Race
SAO PAULO (VINnews) — Brazilians vote Sunday in the first round of a presidential election that will decide whether President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva keeps power or the country turns back toward the right-wing movement of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Polls show Lula, 80, and Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s eldest son, effectively […]
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