São Paulo (EFE).- With four days to go before the second round of Brazil’s presidential election, in which opposition candidate Flávio Bolsonaro faces off against incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the campaign has been going in circles since Sunday over a challenge proposed by Lula to his rival: to make both candidates’ phone and bank records available to the courts to prove who is corrupt and who is honest.
As of Wednesday, Bolsonaro raised the stakes by laying out 19 conditions for Lula to accept the challenge. These conditions include disclosing all of the incumbent’s banking, tax, and phone records dating back to his first term in 2003. Lula’s campaign responded that they do not oppose this.
«Given all the conditions he set, the president’s only response is to say he’s absolutely not opposed to anything,» said Senator Camilo Santana, one of the campaign coordinators for the Workers’ Party (PT) candidate.
“The democratic rule of law demands loyalty to the rules of the game, even on the part of the loser,” Supreme Court Chief Justice Edson Fachin said.
Bolsonaro dropped one point in a voting intention poll conducted by the firm Quaest.The senator now stands at 45%, while Lula stands at 44%, meaning the two are technically tied four days before the election.
The poll shows positive developments for Lula. His disapproval rating fell by five points to 47%.The number of undecided voters rose significantly in one week, from 7% to 14%, based on spontaneous responses.
Although voting is mandatory in Brazil under the 1988 Constitution, there are three exceptions: individuals over 70 years old, 16- and 17-year-olds, and illiterate voters, for whom voting is optional.
Despite this mandate, voters can easily justify their absence from the polls online without facing legal consequences.
If a voter fails to complete the process, a fine is imposed; however, the amount is negligible: 3.51 reais (0.70 dollars).
In the first round of the 2026 elections, 33.4 million Brazilians did not vote, representing 21.08% of the electorate.
However, failing to vote in three consecutive elections results in the revocation of one’s voter registration, which is necessary to obtain other official documents and access public services, such as enrollment in public schools or participation in civil service exams.
Both candidates will stay home on Thursday to prepare for the second and final televised debate, which will air on Globo Friday night.
Bolsonaro will set aside a couple of hours to speak with his supporters during his weekly Thursday night social media livestream.
In addition, Datafolha, Brazil’s longest-standing polling firm, will release a new poll on voter intentions.EFE
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