24 October 2026 | São Paulo – Brasília
Brazil’s two presidential candidates confronted each other Friday night in their final televised debate before Sunday’s closely contested runoff.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro debated for more than two hours on Globo television.
Key developments
Cost of living: Bolsonaro criticized rising food prices during Lula’s administration and argued that government tax reforms could increase costs for consumers.
Lula’s defence: The president highlighted minimum-wage increases above inflation and his administration’s efforts to reduce hunger.
Corruption allegations: Both candidates challenged each other over alleged connections to financial scandals involving Banco Master and other investigations.
Personal confrontation: Bolsonaro apologized after making a remark about Lula’s missing finger, although the debate subsequently returned to accusations concerning public security and political accountability.
Extremely close election: A Datafolha poll published Thursday placed Bolsonaro at 47% and Lula at 46%, within a two-percentage-point margin of error.
Campaign restrictions: Brazilian electoral law prohibits radio and television campaign advertising from Saturday, although candidates may continue holding rallies during the permitted period.
Strategic Assessment
Brazil enters the final hours of campaigning with no clear electoral favourite.
The debate revealed competing economic narratives: Bolsonaro emphasized prices and taxation, while Lula defended wages and social protection.
The decisive question is whether either candidate can convert public dissatisfaction into votes without further undermining trust in democratic institutions.
The election also carries regional implications for trade, investment and Brazil’s diplomatic positioning.
However, the final debate does not establish a winner, and allegations exchanged by the candidates must not be treated as proven wrongdoing.
Whoever wins , the future of BRICS will be definitely affected .