RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - OCTOBER 23: (L-R) Flavio Bolsonaro, presidential candidate for the Partido Liberal and Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, incumbent president of Brazil and presidential candidate for Partido de los Trabajadores (PT) (Worker’s Party) pose for photographers before a debate ahead of the presidential runoff in Brazil at TV Globo on October 23, 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
Presidential candidates Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva appear before their debate on October 23, 2026, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [Buda Mendes/Getty Images]
Published On 24 Oct 2026

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his right-wing rival Flavio Bolsonaro have focused on policy proposals in the final debate before their presidential run-off.

The candidates questioned each other on Friday, two days before the election, about Brazil’s economy, infrastructure and regional development.

Recommended Stories

list of 3 itemsend of list

Lula challenged his rival’s plan to take a “chainsaw” to public spending in a manner similar to that of Argentina’s libertarian president, Javier Milei.

“I’ll have the same job here [as Milei in Argentina] because you’re leaving the country bankrupt,” Bolsonaro responded.

Bolsonaro, son of former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, accused the incumbent of allowing organised crime to expand, driving families into debt and not addressing the higher cost of living.

“He doesn’t know what hunger is,” Brazil’s first working-class president said of Bolsonaro, who responded, “Why are things so expensive?”

Lula questioned the senator’s experience, saying, “He doesn’t know Brazil.”

His challenger doubled down on presenting himself as a capable candidate who represented change for the country.

Supporters of President and presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva follow a televised debate between him and Brazil's right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of the election runoff in Sao Paulo, Brazil on October 23, 2026. (Photo by Juan BARRETO / AFP)
Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva follow the televised debate between him and Flavio Bolsonaro before the run-off [Juan Barreto/AFP]

Tense moments

Friday’s debate in Rio de Janeiro, which was broadcast on TV Globo, was notably more diplomatic than their initial face-off on Sunday but also saw its share of personal attacks and tense moments.

Bolsonaro called Lula “Nine Fingers”, a pejorative nickname used by many of his supporters that references an accident the Brazilian president suffered during his time as a metalworker. The 80-year-old leader demanded an apology, which Bolsonaro gave him.

Lula in response called Bolsonaro a vigilante, referring to allegations that his rival has ties to paramilitary groups in Rio de Janeiro. Bolsonaro said he would classify those groups as “narcoterrorists”.

The third tense exchange was between Bolsonaro and the mother of a five-year-old who was killed in a shootout that involved a policeman who had the presidential candidate as his lawyer. Bolsonaro said he doesn’t believe his client was guilty.

Bolsonaro finished first in the initial round of voting on October 4 with 47 percent of the vote to Lula’s 45 percent.

A Datafolha institute survey published on Thursday suggested the pair are now tied with 50 percent support each, compared with Bolsonaro’s four-point lead in polls published two weeks ago.

Both candidates are expected to join supporters in the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in their last campaign effort before Sunday’s run-off.