Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro clash over living costs and corruption in final Brazil election debate

Brazil’s two presidential hopefuls faced off in their second and final debate on Friday, trading attacks over the cost of living and corruption scandals just two days before Sunday’s runoff election, according to Reuters.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, sparred for more than two hours in a TV Globo debate in Rio de Janeiro. Lula pointed to above-inflation minimum-wage hikes as evidence his government had eased household costs, while Bolsonaro argued food prices had risen under Lula and criticised his tax reform, Reuters reported.

The rivals also traded corruption allegations. Banco Master fraud claims surfaced on both sides: Bolsonaro faced questions over alleged links to jailed banker Daniel Vorcaro, while Lula was pressed over accusations involving his son and pension fraud, per Reuters and Arab News.

There were pointed personal exchanges. Bolsonaro apologised after Lula demanded a retraction of his “nine fingers” jibe about the president’s factory accident decades ago — then immediately countered with a question of his own. Lula, in turn, called Bolsonaro a vigilante over alleged ties to Rio paramilitary groups, according to the Associated Press via La Nación and The Hindu.

The debate was calmer than the insult-heavy first encounter on TV Band roughly five days earlier, though the Associated Press via La Nación noted three tense moments. A Datafolha poll released October 22 showed the race deadlocked at 50%–50%, The Hindu reported. The campaign advertising blackout begins Saturday, with final rallies expected in Rio and São Paulo before the vote.