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Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro clash in first runoff debate ahead of Brazil vote

politicsOct 19, 202647315

On Sunday (18) President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro held their first televised face-to-face debate ahead of the presidential runoff set for Oct. 2, trading sharp accusations of corruption and personal attacks. Lula accused Flávio of taking R$134 million from banker Daniel Vorcaro and demanded that the senator release bank records and lift secrecy, while Folha noted public records show Vorcaro sent at least R$62 million before his arrest. Fact-checking in Folha found both candidates made incorrect or imprecise claims: Flávio overstated that Lula and first lady Janja’s trips cost R$7 billion when total federal travel since 2023 is R$8.46 billion and presidential travel since January totals R$30.8 million, and Lula misstated some GDP and food-inflation figures. The debate also featured disputed claims about government spending and economic performance, with multiple statements flagged as inaccurate or exaggerated. The exchange sharpened focus on the Banco Master/Vorcaro transfers and set up renewed scrutiny of Flávio Bolsonaro’s finances in the final days before the runoff.

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