Debate in Brazil: Lula and Bolsonaro trade grievances less than 48 hours before crucial vote

SAN PABLO.- With less than 35 hours to the election Bounces in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva begin the final debateOn TV Globo, attacks on the minimum wage and causes of corruption were among the central issues expected to be the conflict, with accusations of each other being “liars”.

Bolsonaro took one last chance to try Discard Lula’s advantage in the polls, He promised to accept Brazil, which has serious social and economic problems, and he promised to take it from next year. Minimum wage is 1400 rais, which is in the first issue past the candidates. He had started the debate by denying that he was going to do away with holiday and overtime pay.

Lula questioned the president for not raising the minimum wage in four years. He asked him for explanations and he confirmed that it had increased by 74% during the years he was in government (2003-2010). Bolsonaro hid behind the impact of the pandemic and the global economic crisis. “We did the best we could,” he said.

“Lula, you know the whole system is against me. Stop lying,” said the president, standing outside his lectern, wearing a blue tie and continuing to review notes in his left hand. “Should I exorcize him to stop lying?” He was surprised.

“I came to speak to the people of Brazil, not to answer a candidate. This man has been in power for four years and has not raised the minimum wage. People know they are starving, they are jobless,” said Bolsonaro, attacking Lula, who has been repeatedly accused of being a liar. The former president sought to blame Bolsonaro directly for worsening social indicators, highlighting rising food prices and the return of hunger in the country.

The debate is seen as the last chance for Lula (Workers’ Party) and Jair Bolsonaro (Liberal Party) to compete in an area of ​​voters who may change their minds before the second round. As pointed out in a recent poll by undecided 7% of voters in the conflict data sheetBoth candidates point to key issues such as the economy and corruption.

Bolsonaro said Lula and the PD plan were telling lies to hurt the poor. “You won’t answer what I ask?” she challenged.

Brazilians know who is a liar. “People know about many things you promised and did not fulfill,” the former president responded.

Lula, who is the favorite in the polls, and Bolsonaro, who is running for re-election, debated on TV Globo after a month-long campaign marred by low hits and misinformation on social networks. In the latest Datafolha poll released on Thursday, taking into account valid votes, Lula regained a six-point lead with 53% support to the president’s 47%. In the previous week, that gap had narrowed from six to four points.

In the debate in Rio de Janeiro, the two candidates repeatedly passed over the amount of Aid Brazil (the president’s plan) and the family subsidy (the Lula government’s plan for the first decade of the century).

“Why did you pay so little to the beneficiaries of Bolsa Familia? People became slaves to that program. We multiply it by three, making it 600 rai. When we created Aid Brazil, its representatives [del PT] Voted against. Lula stop lying,” Bolsonaro told him.

When the issue of corruption came up, Lula defended himself against the president’s attacks: “I am a perfect citizen: I won court cases. People know who stole it,” he said.

“You mean he was released? He was condemned by his friends in the Supreme Court. You are a criminal Lula. His government was the champion of corruption,” Bolsonaro attacked.

Lula took advantage of the arrest of Roberto Jefferson, Brazil’s former vice president. This Sunday. “He’s trying to hide Roberto Jefferson, he believes,” the PT leader said.

Bolsonaro wasn’t far behind and tried to link Jefferson to the PT: “He gave his party money to buy parliamentary support. Mensalao, Petrolao, over 100 prisoners. You’re here because you have friends in the STF. You should stay home, Lula. What’s up with the youth in Brazil?” ” said the President.

Lula attacked the president for isolating Brazil from the world and asked him to explain how he would rejoin it.

“Of course, Lula has relations with Maduro, with Cuba, now with Argentina…”, The far-right president sought to link the PT with the region’s leftist governments in the campaign, among them Alberto Fernandez.

“He knows that in our government we defended a very effective foreign policy, for example, I helped create the BRICS,” Lula said.

Bolsonaro accused Lula of being an abortionist in an attempt to target him Evangelical voters, carries a lot of weight in these elections and the President takes advantage of it. “Lula, suppose you’re an abortionist,” he told her. “It is shameful to debate with the king of lies,” he later said.

“I am anti-abortion, my wife is anti-abortion. I value life.” Lula replied that he quickly tried to get off the subject and bring the discussion back to the growth of the economy. Later, speaking on health, Lula launched an attack on Bolsonaro’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, which was widely criticized internationally.

Lula said Bolsonaro had bought 35,000 boxes of Viagra to supply the armed forces, to which the president replied that Viagra was used to treat the prostate. Lula then asked: “Why only the armed forces? Why not distribute Viagra to the town?

The discussion is moderated by the journalist William BonnerMore than once I had to ask for silence from the candidates’ advisers.

In the previous debate on the polls, on October 16, they exchanged attacks on the pandemic and passed allegations of corruption. fake news.

Lula strengthened training to counter allegations of corruption, a key issue for the PT., and Bolsonaro was braced for “below the waist” attacks as he trailed in the polls. For this, The former president had the help of journalist Olga Kurado, a famous candidate producer It blends the principles of Aikido (a Japanese martial art), psychology, Buddhism and meditation.

“I am going to restore harmony in this country,” Lula promised at the end of his participation, which recalled the achievements of his administration between 2003 and 2010.

In his final minute and a half, Bolsonaro made an unusual mistake: “God willing, I will be federal vice president one more time… as president.”