Brazil’s Lula Accuses Bolsonaro of Lying While Bolsonaro Highlights Lula’s Alleged Corruption in Heated Pre‑Election Debate

Updated 11 min 50 sec ago | October 19, 2026, 07:15 | São Paulo

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right‑wing senator Flávio Bolsonaro clashed in a raucous debate on Sunday, a week before a tightly contested presidential election. The exchange devolved into personal attacks, with each candidate leveling serious accusations against the other.

Lula branded Bolsonaro “a habitual liar and a thug,” and deliberately positioned himself away from the stage as he denounced the senator as “a militiaman,” referencing alleged ties to Rio de Janeiro’s paramilitary groups. Bolsonaro, who led the first‑round poll with 47 % to Lula’s 45 %, countered that he kept Lula at a distance “because my wallet could be stolen.”

The debate featured repeated name‑calling, accusations of corruption, and disagreements on public security and health care. Lula, seeking a fourth term at nearly 81 years old, urged viewers to “look it up on Google” to verify Bolsonaro’s alleged falsehoods. Throughout, Flavio Bolsonaro paced, shook his head, and smirked while his opponent spoke, prompting Lula to struggle to conceal his irritation.

When pressed about a corruption investigation involving Bolsonaro, Lula demanded an explanation, a request his opponent dismissed by calling Lula a “clown.” Bolsonaro shifted focus to a potential corruption case linked to one of Lula’s sons and highlighted pressing issues such as the cost of living and insecurity. He accused Lula of “reckless spending to get re‑elected” through various social‑welfare promises.

Lula challenged Bolsonaro to explain how he would replicate the deep public‑spending cuts enacted by Argentina’s Javier Milei, but Bolsonaro sidestepped the question, pivoting to other topics. On health care, Bolsonaro admitted that his administration’s handling of the Covid‑19 pandemic was not its strongest achievement, offering a “mea culpa.”

The former president Jair Bolsonaro was mentioned repeatedly, notably when Flávio Bolsonaro questioned why many imprisoned supporters backed Lula. Lula responded that he wanted all votes, including those of his opponent—who is currently under house arrest serving a 27‑year sentence for a failed 2022 coup attempt.

“Vote for me, Bolsonaro, you know your son, you know I’m better than him,” Lula said.

The debate underscored the polarized atmosphere ahead of the election, with both candidates focusing heavily on personal attacks and policy disagreements rather than collaborative solutions.

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