# Bolsonaro and Lula clash in first debate one week before runoff

> Brazil's presidential candidates traded corruption accusations and personal attacks in a heated first debate, with the race tightening ahead of the October 25 vote.
- Title: Bolsonaro and Lula clash in first debate one week before…
- Summary: Brazil's presidential candidates traded corruption accusations and personal attacks in a heated first debate, with the race tightening ahead of the October…
- Keywords: brazil, presidential election, flavio bolsonaro, luiz inacio lula da silva, debate, runoff, october 2026, news, politics, Bolsonaro, Lula, clash
- Source: Daily Maverick — https://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-19-brazils-bolsonaro-lula-spar-in-first-debate-as-personal-attacks-fly
- Author: Reuters
- Published: 2026-10-19T10:23:39+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: brazil, presidential election, flavio bolsonaro, luiz inacio lula da silva, debate, runoff, october 2026, news, politics
## First debate one week before runoff
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva faced off on Sunday in their first presidential debate, one week before Brazil's October 25 runoff election.
## Bolsonaro entered as favorite after first round
Polls before the debate showed Bolsonaro, son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, finishing nearly two points ahead of Lula in the election's first round earlier this month.
## Race has narrowed significantly
Surveys have shown the race narrowing, and Lula expressed confidence he could be the first candidate since Brazil's return to democracy in the nineteen eighties to finish second in the first round and win.
## Heated exchange of corruption accusations
The debate turned quickly into a heated exchange. Lula pressed Bolsonaro on alleged links to jailed banker Daniel Vorcaro, while Bolsonaro questioned Lula about accusations involving his son and a pension fraud scandal.
## Personal attacks dominate the stage
Lula said lying is the Bolsonaro family's strong suit. Bolsonaro responded that Lula has a very clear problem in your DNA and is always tainted by corruption.

> Lying is the Bolsonaro family's strong suit.
## Tense physical exchanges on stage
Bolsonaro gestured and paced behind Lula when the president spoke, a move moderators said was within rules but drew complaints from Lula's team.At one point Lula refused to stand near Bolsonaro, calling him a militiaman.
## Lula targets 33 million absent voters
Lula told reporters before the debate he hoped to win over the thirty three million voters who stayed home in the election's first round, equal to about one in five eligible voters.
## Second debate scheduled for October 23
Sunday's debate was the first between Lula and Senator Bolsonaro after both candidates declined previous opportunities. A second debate is scheduled for October twenty-third just ahead of the runoff.
## Key takeaway

Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clashed in their first debate on October 18, 2026, one week before Brazil's presidential runoff, exchanging corruption accusations and personal attacks as polls showed the race narrowing.