Lula supporters spell out his name in Rio waters before Brazil runoff

Brazil’s Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro clash in a tense debate over public spending, corruption and ties to the US, as polls show a tight 51–49 race.

Brazil’s president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and the senator Flavio Bolsonaro traded personal attacks in their first debate on Sunday, a week before the runoff on 25 October. The two men called each other liars, and Bolsonaro paced behind his rival as he spoke.

The debate covered the economy, security, healthcare, corruption and ties to the United States. Lula asked his opponent about plans for deep cuts to public spending, but the senator changed the subject. In turn, he accused the president of reckless spending to win re-election.

Two polls this week put Bolsonaro on 51 per cent and Lula on 49.

Before the debate, thousands of supporters gathered in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Monitors at the University of Sao Paulo counted about 71,000 people at the Bolsonaro march and 56,000 at the Lula event.