‘Liar’, ‘clown’: Lula and Bolsonaro spar in Brazil poll debate
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Lula → spar → debate
Firing off personal attacks, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and right-wing senator Flavio Bolsonaro held an acrimonious first debate on Oct 18, a week before a tight presidential election run-off.
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President → fire → off
A chaotic exchange between the two men, who called each other liars on multiple occasions, accusing each other of corruption and dragging up various scandals, encapsulated the tone of a bitter election campaign in the deeply polarised nation.
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who → call → nation
Bolsonaro, 45, son of the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, secured a shock first-round lead over Lula earlier in October and polls predict a close battle for the run-off on Oct 25.
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polls → secure → Oct
The two men sparred over the economy, public security, healthcare, corruption, and Brazil’s ties to the United States.
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men → spar → States
“Brazil is going to retire you,” fired off Bolsonaro, seeking to unnerve his adversary by pacing up and down behind him throughout the debate in view of the camera, shaking his head, smirking and scoffing while his adversary spoke.
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adversary → go → head
Lula called Bolsonaro “a habitual liar, a thug,” and said he did not want to stand close to a “militiaman,” alluding to his alleged ties to Rio de Janeiro’s paramilitary groups.
Bolsonaro, who made several jabs about Lula’s time jailed for corruption on charges that were later annulled, retorted that it was better he stay at a distance “because my wallet could be stolen”.
Lula, who at almost 81 is seeking a fourth term in power, battled to control his irritation at times and repeatedly asked viewers to “look it up on Google” to prove his adversary was lying.
While Bolsonaro has led in polls since the first round, his edge slightly narrowed in two polls this week which showed him with 51% of voting intentions compared to 49% for Lula.
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which → call → Lula
Bolsonaro hammered away at the primary concerns of Brazilians – such as the cost of living and insecurity – and accused Lula of “reckless spending to get re-elected” due to various social measures he has announced while campaigning.
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he → hammer → measures
Lula countered by asking Bolsonaro about his plans to emulate the drastic “chainsaw” cuts to public spending implemented by Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei, which led to higher unemployment and cuts to benefits.
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which → counter → benefits
Throughout the debate, Bolsonaro dodged the question and pivoted to different topics.
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Bolsonaro → dodge → topics
Lula questioned the right-winger’s ties to US President Donald Trump – an ally of the Bolsonaro family – and plans to “hand over” Brazil’s rare earth minerals.
“It is striking how the Bolsonaro family is subservient to American interests,” said Lula.
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Lula → question → interests
Former president Jair Bolsonaro came up several times, including when his son asked Lula why so many prisoners had supported him in the election.
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prisoners → come → election
Lula said he wanted all of their votes, including that of Jair Bolsonaro – who is currently serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for a botched coup bid after his failed 2022 re-election bid.
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who → say → bid
“Vote for me, Bolsonaro, you know your son, you know I’m better than him.”
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you → vote → him
Ahead of the showdown, tens of thousands of supporters of Lula and Bolsonaro gathered in cities around the country.
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thousands → gather → country
In Sao Paulo, a sea of people dressed in the yellow and green of the Brazilian flag rallied for Flavio Bolsonaro, who made his way down Paulista Avenue on the back of a truck.
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who → dress → truck
To make ends meet or buy anything, you have to work two or three jobs just to pay the bills,” said Sara Machado, 36, wearing a T-shirt with the slogan: “Right-wing.
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Machado → make → slogan
The rally drew about 71,000 people, according to monitors at the University of Sao Paulo (USP).
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rally → draw → Paulo
Swimmers and singers for Lula
In Rio de Janeiro, swimmers at Praia Vermelha beach synchronised in the water to spell out Lula’s name with their bodies.
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swimmers → synchronise → bodies
Later, on Copacabana Beach, iconic octogenarian singer Caetano Veloso led a “rally for democracy” in favour of the president, which USP monitors said drew some 56,000 people.
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monitors → lead → people
Fabiana Leite, a 51-year-old nurse and social worker, said Lula’s social welfare programmes saved her after she was wrongly incarcerated, lost custody of her daughters, and had to rebuild her life after being freed.
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she → say → life
“You might have the desire to fight and to grow, but without the means, without social programmes, it’s just not possible.
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it → have → programmes
That is why I am here, continuing the fight,” she told AFP.
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she → continue → AFP
The Aporia
