Brazil holds first presidential debate without frontrunners Lula or Bolsonaro; president opts for interview

Brazil's first presidential debate ahead of the October 4 elections took place in Sao Paulo without the two leading contenders, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro and current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula chose to counterprogram the debate with an interview on TV Record, where he reflected on his first presidential run in 1989 after the end of the military regime. He recalled competing against prominent figures like Ulysses Guimarães and Leonel Brizola, lamenting what he sees as a decline in the caliber of today's politicians.

"The situation has been worsening. Today, if you compare the current contest with that one, you realize that the importance of the politicians running in the elections has diminished," Lula stated. He criticized the reliance on internet fame for presidential aspirations, arguing that being president requires making serious decisions, not just generating online buzz. "The internet allows criminals to get noticed, sometimes with more force than honest people," he added.

Despite his disillusionment, Lula urged citizen participation, emphasizing the importance of voting to prevent society from being governed by "minorities" who do vote. The debate, organized by Grupo Bandeirantes, was significantly impacted by the absences. Besides Lula and Bolsonaro, former Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema also withdrew. This left only three candidates on stage: far-right contender Renan Santos, conservative former Goiás Governor Ronaldo Caiado, and physician Augusto Cury. Santos directly addressed the empty podiums, calling the absent candidates "criminals" and accusing them of disrespecting Brazilians.

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The situation has been worsening. Today, if you compare the current contest with that one, you realize that the importance of the politicians running in the elections has diminished.