Brazilian President Lula challenges Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to open bank and phone records days before presidential runoff

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva challenged Senator Flávio Bolsonaro to jointly open their bank accounts and phone records to judicial scrutiny during their first face-to-face runoff debate in São Paulo on Sunday, one week before Brazil’s October 25 presidential election.

“I challenge you and me, tomorrow, to open our bank accounts and our telephone privacy records so the Brazilian people can know who the thieves are in this country,” Lula said during the Band debate. “I’ll open my entire family’s, and you open yours, and we’ll ask the Justice system to do it.”

Bolsonaro said he had “absolutely nothing to hide” and that his finances were fully declared, but did not accept Lula’s proposal. He said Lula’s money was kept outside official records.

Lula also questioned Bolsonaro over the purchase of his Brasília home, saying the senator earns a similar salary to him but acquired a property Lula valued at R$10 million and paid part of the purchase price in cash with financing from BRB, the Brasília state bank that has faced scrutiny over its links to banker Daniel Vorcaro. Bolsonaro has denied financial wrongdoing.

The candidates also clashed over prison voting. Bolsonaro asked Lula why 73% of prisoners had voted for him in the first round. “I want 100% to vote for me — even your father,” Lula replied, referring to former President Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio Bolsonaro did not provide a source for the 73% figure during the debate. Under Brazilian law, prisoners without a final criminal conviction can vote, while those with final convictions have their political rights suspended.

Family investigations became another point of confrontation. Lula said his son had opened his bank and telephone records to investigators and said he would not protect relatives facing scrutiny. He contrasted that with Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency, referring to former Justice Minister Sergio Moro’s 2020 accusation that Bolsonaro sought to interfere with the Federal Police.

Lula also accused Flávio Bolsonaro’s brother, former lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, of remaining in the United States while seeking intervention from Trump against Brazil. “What you are doing is betraying your country, and you will be judged for it,” Lula said.

The debate at Band’s São Paulo studio also produced personal exchanges. Lula refused to stand close to Bolsonaro and called him a “militiaman,” referring to allegations about the senator’s links to Rio de Janeiro paramilitary groups. Bolsonaro replied: “I’m not carrying my wallet, so you can’t rob me.”

Flávio Bolsonaro entered the runoff after finishing nearly two percentage points ahead of Lula in the October 4 first round. Their final scheduled debate is set for October 23, two days before Brazilians vote.