On the night of October 23rd, the Globo TV network held Brazil’s final presidential debate. As Folha de S. Paulo pointed out this morning, it was the most watched television event in Brazil since the World Cup. Afterwards, both sides declared victory, but, with a few exceptions, the general consensus in Brazil’s center-right mainstream media outlets was that Lula had the upper hand. One of the debate highlights below illustrates how this happened. – Ed
In the second segment of TV Globo’s presidential debate on October 23, Flávio Bolsonaro referred to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as “nine fingers.” Lula immediately pushed back.
“He said something incredibly foolish, and I’m not going to let it slide,” Lula said. “He called me nine fingers. Let me tell you something: if there’s anyone who knows what the world of work actually looks like, it’s me. I started working the night shift at 17. I will not let a member of an organized crime militia call me nine fingers. This guy has never worked a day in his life, and he doesn’t even know what a labor card is. His first job was a ghost position his father arranged for him. And now he wants to call me nine fingers?”
“Nine fingers” is a derogatory nickname the far right uses for Lula, referring to the workplace accident he suffered as a young metalworker when his hand was caught in a factory press and he lost a finger. He was only 17 at the time.
“Millions of workers get injured because of employer negligence; in shifts we shouldn’t even be working. I was a minor, and I wasn’t legally allowed to work the night shift. I will not accept being called nine fingers by some wealthy elitist with a deeply questionable political record,” Lula said, closing his response.
When it was Bolsonaro’s turn to reply, he acknowledged the mistake. “Lula, I apologize.”
