Brazilian Candidates Preach Peace After Front-Runner Is Stabbed
- Market-friendly candidates trade barbs in unusual rivalry
- Rally in Rio de Janeiro celebrates stabbed Bolsonaro as hero
Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters hold a rally in Sao Paulo
Photographer Miguel Schincariol/AFP via Getty Images
While the front-runner in Brazil’s presidential race recovered from a near-fatal stab wound, candidates in a televised debate on Sunday focused on the nation’s worsening violence and radicalization.
Contenders for Brazil’s presidency also harped on corruption and poor public services, while sidelining economic policy proposals, in a debate that didn’t appear to be a game changer ahead of the Oct. 7 first round election. Fernando Haddad, who in coming days is likely to replace the imprisoned and suspended Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, did not participate. Neither did ex-Army captain Jair Bolsonaro, who was stabbed by a fanatic during a campaign rally.