Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva traded blows in a tense, final debate before the country goes into the second round of the run-off elections. The far-right incumbent, Bolsonaro, and the popular but tarnished Lula da Silva spoke about economic hardships, corruption and Brazil's foreign policy in the two-and-a-half-hour long face-off.

Da Silva dug into the Bolsonaro government's policies, saying it has failed to increase minimum wage above inflation. "This man governed for four years and there was not 1% of a real increase," da Silva said at the TV Globo debate in Rio de Janeiro. He further pledged to boost spending on the poor, though he did not elaborate on a plan. 

Bolsonaro blamed the poor minimum wage on the economic downturn, exasperated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He also promised to lift the minimum wage from $229 (€230) to $265 a month, if re-elected — something not included in his 2023 budget proposal.

Economic hardships are likely to be a key factor in the tight race between the two. 

A heated argument

The debate quickly deviated to personal attacks as the two argued about the minimum wage and corruption charges.

"Brazilians know who the liar is," da Silva said.

"Stop lying Lula, stop lying. It's getting ugly," said Bolsonaro. "Lies, Lula! Do I have to perform an exorcism on you to get you to stop lying?"  

Bolsonaro strategically brought up weak areas in the Lula campaign, reminding audiences of the corruption charges against the former president. "With me you will have safety, you will have honesty. There won't be theft. Do you want me to give more examples of corruption, Lula? Or can we move on," he said.

Da Silva, on the other hand, criticized his competitor for isolating Brazil from the rest of the world.

"Today Brazil is more isolated than Cuba. You don't have a relationship with anyone. No one wants to receive you. No one comes here," he said.

Bolsonaro laughed off the accusation, boasting about his relations with Arab nations and the US.

A lost chance

Da Silva currently holds a small lead in polls, which is why the debate was touted to be the last chance to swing those on the fence. However, Mario Sergio Lima, a senior Brazil analyst for Medley Global Advisors believes the debate was a lost opportunity for da Silva's conservative rival.

"Bolsonaro needed to score a big win ... He didn't do very well among focus groups of undecided voters nor in online mentions," Lima said, referring to surveys published online in real-time by pollsters. "Now, it is up to the edited videos that both campaigns will create to energize their supporters."

mk/dj (AP, AFP)