Brazilian Polls Show 50 Percent Tie After Final Debate

Brazil's presidential race ended in a statistical tie on Thursday, according to a new survey from the Datafolha institute. The poll found President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro each holding 50 percent support. This result erases the four-point lead Bolsonaro held in polls released two weeks earlier.

The data arrived two days after the candidates met for the final debate of the campaign in Rio de Janeiro. The event aired on TV Globo and was scheduled for Sunday. The discussion focused heavily on policy, with both men questioning each other on the economy, infrastructure, and regional development. The exchange was noticeably more diplomatic than their first meeting earlier in the campaign, though it still contained personal attacks.

Lula targeted his opponent's plan to cut public spending, comparing the proposal to the approach of Argentine President Javier Milei. Bolsonaro countered by arguing that the incumbent is leaving the country bankrupt. "I'll have the same job here [as Milei in Argentina] because you're leaving the country bankrupt," Bolsonaro said. The senator accused Lula of allowing organized crime to expand and failing to control the cost of living.

Lula responded with personal critiques, stating that his rival does not know what hunger is and does not know Brazil. Bolsonaro challenged this view by asking why goods are so expensive. The debate featured several tense moments, including a dispute over the nickname "Nine Fingers." Bolsonaro used the term, which refers to a work accident in Lula's youth. The 80-year-old president demanded an apology, which Bolsonaro offered.

Another exchange involved Lula calling Bolsonaro a vigilante, citing allegations of ties to paramilitary groups in Rio. Bolsonaro said he would classify such groups as narcoterrorists. The candidates also discussed a fatal shootout involving a police officer whose lawyer was Bolsonaro. A mother of a five-year-old victim was present, and Bolsonaro stated he does not believe his client was guilty.

Bolsonaro finished first in the opening round of voting on October 4 with 47 percent of the vote, compared to Lula's 45 percent. The current deadlock suggests a close finish in the upcoming run-off. Both candidates are scheduled to join supporters on the streets of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo for their final campaign push before the Sunday vote.