Lula, Bolsonaro Clash Over Corruption, Public Spending in Final Debate
(MENAFN) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and conservative Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro exchanged accusations over infrastructure, crime prevention and corruption allegations during their final televised debate on Friday, just two days before the country’s presidential runoff on Sunday.
The debate took place as the race remained evenly balanced. A poll published on Thursday by Datafolha put both candidates at 50%, highlighting the tight contest ahead of the vote.
Bolsonaro, 45, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, finished first in the initial round with 47% of the vote, compared with 45% for Lula, the 80-year-old leader of the Workers' Party (PT).
Bolsonaro began the exchange by questioning the government’s performance on infrastructure, alleging that 100,500 construction projects across Brazil remain unfinished.
“Brazil has once again become a vast graveyard of construction projects,” he said, criticizing the government's fiscal spending. “Purchasing power has been destroyed by the government, which spends too much.”
In response, Lula pledged to bring stalled construction projects to completion and highlighted federal funding directed toward highway development, tunnels and water diversion initiatives.
Seeking to attract more support from middle-income voters, Bolsonaro promised increases in the minimum wage and pension payments. He also assured the electorate that he would keep the state-owned Banco do Brasil and Petrobras under public ownership rather than pursue their privatization.
The debate took place as the race remained evenly balanced. A poll published on Thursday by Datafolha put both candidates at 50%, highlighting the tight contest ahead of the vote.
Bolsonaro, 45, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, finished first in the initial round with 47% of the vote, compared with 45% for Lula, the 80-year-old leader of the Workers' Party (PT).
Bolsonaro began the exchange by questioning the government’s performance on infrastructure, alleging that 100,500 construction projects across Brazil remain unfinished.
“Brazil has once again become a vast graveyard of construction projects,” he said, criticizing the government's fiscal spending. “Purchasing power has been destroyed by the government, which spends too much.”
In response, Lula pledged to bring stalled construction projects to completion and highlighted federal funding directed toward highway development, tunnels and water diversion initiatives.
Seeking to attract more support from middle-income voters, Bolsonaro promised increases in the minimum wage and pension payments. He also assured the electorate that he would keep the state-owned Banco do Brasil and Petrobras under public ownership rather than pursue their privatization.
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