Brazil's Lula skips final TV debate as rivals make last appeal to voters
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Brazilian presidential candidates will on Thursday have one of their final opportunities to reach voters ahead of Sunday's election as TV Globo hosts its traditional end-of-campaign debate. The event will take place without President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has skipped all debates this year as he seeks an unprecedented fourth term. Lula has led every major poll for Sunday's first-round vote, even as his main challenger Senator Flavio Bolsonaro confirmed he will participate in Thursday's debate.
Key Facts
- TV Globo, Brazil's largest free-to-air broadcaster, hosts the traditional end-of-campaign debate on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
- President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has skipped all debates this year as he seeks an unprecedented fourth term.
- A Quaest survey this week showed Lula with 39% support for the first round and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro with 34%.
- Lula and Bolsonaro were tied at 42% each in a simulated runoff, according to the Quaest survey.
- Three other right-of-center candidates—Augusto Cury, Ronaldo Caiado, and Romeu Zema—are expected to take part in the debate.
Lula's Absence
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has skipped all debates this year as he seeks an unprecedented fourth term. The leftist president has led every major poll for Sunday's first-round vote and has avoided sharing the stage with a field dominated by right-wing candidates. Lula, who is running for president for the seventh time, also declined to participate in the last debate before the first round of his 2006 reelection campaign, a decision that drew widespread criticism at the time. Rivals have accused Lula of dodging scrutiny over his administration. Lula instead plans to appear on a podcast at the same time as the debate.
Bolsonaro's Participation
Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has confirmed he will participate in Thursday's debate. His absence from earlier debates had kept Flavio Bolsonaro away, as he stated, "My only opponent in this campaign is Lula. He's the one I want to debate." Two debates on other networks were canceled after both Lula and Bolsonaro declined to attend. In Thursday's debate, Bolsonaro is likely to appeal to undecided voters, promote his platform, and criticize the president.
Other Candidates
Three other right-of-center candidates—author-psychiatrist Augusto Cury, former Goias Governor Ronaldo Caiado, and former Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema—are also expected to take part in the debate. A Quaest survey this week showed Lula with 39% support for the first round and Bolsonaro with 34%, followed by Caiado (4%), Cury (4%), Renan Santos (3%), and Zema (1%). Lula and Bolsonaro were seen tied at 42% each in a simulated runoff. Caiado wrote on social media, "I wanted Lula to go to the debate. I wanted to look him in the eye and debate two things that worry Brazilians: security and corruption."
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