SAO PAULO (AP) 鈥 Brazil鈥檚 former President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro clashed in their first one-on-one debate Sunday, two weeks before the presidential election鈥檚 runoff.
Debates in the election鈥檚 first round featured several other candidates, none of whom garnered more than 5% of the Oct. 2 vote. During the debates, they were largely distractions from the two obvious frontrunners.
On Sunday, the two repeatedly called each other liars during an encounter lasting about 1 1/2 hours. The term was used more than a dozen times by each of the candidates in the TV Band debate that, otherwise, was less aggressive than many analysts had expected.
鈥淵ou are a liar. You lie every day,鈥 da Silva said during one exchange. Bolsonaro frequently said: 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 come here to tell people these lies.鈥
Earlier this month, da Silva, who is universally known as Lula, won the election鈥檚 first round with 48% of the vote compared to Bolsonaro鈥檚 43%. Polls indicate the leftist former president, who governed between 2003-2010, remains the frontrunner, though his lead has shrunk considerably.
Each candidate focused on the issues that, according to polls, represent their adversary鈥檚 weak points: for Bolsonaro, the COVID-19 pandemic that killed 680,000 Brazilians, and for da Silva, corruption scandals involving his Workers鈥 Party.
Da Silva and Bolsonaro are expected to take part in one more debate, days before the vote, on TV Globo, Brazil鈥檚 most popular network.
