The final stretch before the first round of the presidential elections continues with increased polarization, a reversal, and the cancellation of the debate onGlobo, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva inFlow podcast, Flávio Bolsonaro in live and the impacts of the controversy involvingOur Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.
The two main candidates have bet on a message to the electorate of uniting forces to end the election in the first round, even resorting to the argument of the useful vote.
ToBdF InterviewThe political scientist Cláudio André highlighted that the political situation of 2026 has formed a complex scenario, marked by an overload of research and strategic movements at the last minute before the polls.
For André, the absence of the leaders in the debate that did not take place reflected defensive decisions on both sides. According to him, President Lula sought to protect himself from an unbalanced environment, while Flávio Bolsonaro also chose to safeguard himself. "President Lula understood that there was a strategy of not participating in an event, a moment that would be unbalanced in terms of the presence of other candidates," said the political scientist.
For the professor, the episode highlights the need to review the current format of the debates, which often expose candidates to offenses and superficial provocation dynamics. "We will really need to remodel the way we think about debates. And, above all, I think that some measure of respect for the liturgy of that position, which is that of President of the Republic, must be considered," he points out.
In a scenario in which the majority of the votes are already defined between Flávio and Lula, a second round is the most likely outcome, in which rejection will be the determining factor. "Indeed, we can see a second round, in which we will have a plebiscite election, in which the candidate who is least rejected will be elected," he points out.
In this sense, Cláudio André raises the issue involvingOur Lady of Aparecidaas a decisive factor, especially among the Catholic electorate. "We are talking about the majority of the Brazilian electorate, which identifies with Catholicism," he emphasizes. According to the expert, in a tight and detail-oriented race, attacks directed at the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) caused noise that exposed moral contradictions, creating space for a change in the stance of the faithful. "In this regard, what happened in the last few weeks was exactly a major information and debate noise, showing how opportunistic Flavio Bolsonaro is in his relationship with various segments of civil society. And I see that Catholics can reorient their vote in a pragmatic way," he assesses.
To listen and watch
TheBdF Interviewairs from Monday to Friday, always at 4 p.m. onRádio Brasil de Fato98.9 FM in Greater São Paulo.