Taunts and personal jabs on stage

The lula bolsonaro debate produced some of the sharpest exchanges of the Brazil election runoff campaign, with the two rivals repeatedly calling each other liars and accusing each other of corruption as they fought over the economy, public security, healthcare, corruption and Brazil's ties to the United States.

Flavio Bolsonaro, the 45-year-old son of far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro, paced behind Lula during the encounter, shaking his head and scoffing, and told him: "Brazil is going to retire you."

Lula hit back, calling his adversary a habitual liar and a thug, and said he did not want to stand close to a militiaman - an allusion to Bolsonaro's alleged ties to Rio de Janeiro's paramilitary groups. Bolsonaro, for his part, mocked the president's past imprisonment for corruption on charges later annulled, saying it was better Lula keep his distance "because my wallet could be stolen."

Lula, who is nearly 81 and is seeking a fourth term, repeatedly asked viewers to "look it up on Google" to prove his opponent was lying.

Economy, Milei's cuts and US ties

On policy, Bolsonaro accused the incumbent of "reckless spending to get re-elected" over social measures announced during the campaign. Lula pressed his rival on whether he planned to emulate the drastic "chainsaw" cuts to public spending implemented by Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei, pointing to higher unemployment and benefit cuts; Bolsonaro avoided answering.

The president also attacked Bolsonaro's family ties to US President Donald Trump and his plans to "hand over" Brazil's rare earth minerals, declaring: "It is striking how the Bolsonaro family is subservient to American interests."

Other moments stood out:

• •Flavio Bolsonaro asked Lula why so many prisoners had supported him in the election.
• •Lula answered that he wanted all votes, including Jair Bolsonaro's: "Vote for me, Bolsonaro, you know your son, you know I'm better than him."
• •Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for a botched coup attempt after his failed 2022 re-election bid.

Supporters take to the streets

Before the debate, tens of thousands of supporters of both candidates gathered in cities around the country. In Sao Paulo, Bolsonaro backers dressed in yellow and green filled Paulista Avenue, where the candidate rode on the back of a truck; monitors at the University of Sao Paulo counted about 71,000 people.

Sara Machado, 36, at the Sao Paulo rally, told reporters: "The country is in a state of calamity."

In Rio de Janeiro, swimmers at Praia Vermelha beach synchronized in the water to spell out Lula's name. Singer Caetano Veloso led a "rally for democracy" in favor of the president on Copacabana Beach, which USP monitors said drew some 56,000 people.

Among the crowd was Fabiana Leite, a 51-year-old nurse and social worker, who credited Lula's social welfare programs with helping her rebuild her life after being wrongly incarcerated and losing custody of her daughters.

The runoff is scheduled for October 25, with two polls this week showing Bolsonaro at 51 percent of voting intentions against 49 percent for Lula - a lead that has narrowed since the first round, which Bolsonaro won by surprise earlier this month.