Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro campaigns intensify confrontation in electoral propaganda

Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula during the electoral propaganda this Tuesday (22). — Photo: Reproduction

In the final stretch for the first round, the campaigns of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) intensified the confrontation in the electoral programs. The pieces shown this Tuesday (22) explored opposing narratives about food prices and brought direct criticism between the candidates.

As g1 showed, two weeks before the election, candidates adjusted their campaign strategies to try to win over voters. The president must reinforce the social and economic agenda. The senator, in turn, seeks to expand his vote in the Southeast, reduce the PT's advantage in the Northeast and bet on the discourse of useful votes.

The changes in Lula's campaign occur mainly due to Flávio's advance in the electoral polls. Quaest research released this Monday (21) shows Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro technically tied both in the first and in a possible second round. In the first, Lula has 37% of voting intentions, against 33% for Flávio. In the second, Flávio scores 42%, and Lula, 41%.

The senator's propaganda opened this Tuesday's election time — the order follows a rotation between the candidates' programs. In the piece, Flávio says that Lula tries to attack him and "confuse" the voter with information that, according to him, would be lies. Flávio also says that he does not intend to respond to the attacks, but rather to present proposals.

"For my part, you've never seen the game down and you never will either," he said. "Now, do you know why Lula, instead of saying what he did, he keeps talking so bad about me? The word is shame. Lula talks bad about me because he doesn't want to face the shame of Brazil today having the record number of Brazilians in debt in its entire history. Of almost everyone being in trouble, being in debt with late bills, not being able to fill the cart at the supermarket. Because his government is a shame", said Flávio.

Then, the PL candidate directs criticism at the country's economic situation. He claims that Lula does not present what he did in government and, instead, focuses propaganda on attacks against him. Flávio associates the PT administration with the increase in debt and the difficulties faced by families in purchasing food and other products.

The propaganda also presents public safety proposals. Flávio promises to build five maximum security federal prisons, block cell phones in prisons, quadruple the penalty for cell phone theft and reduce the age of criminal responsibility.

In Lula's propaganda, the focus is on economic and social measures. The program presents as proposals the end of the 6 to 1 scale, the expansion of the Nest Egg, the creation of the Brazil Against Cancer Network and the exemption from taxes on products in the basic food basket.

The piece also seeks to associate Flávio with the government of his father, former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL). The program states that, during the previous administration, there was an increase in food and fuel prices and criticizes the Bolsonaro's actions in the economic area.

"During the Bolsonaro government, the price of food soared and I'll show you how this affected and still affects your life. Beans and rice rose more than 45% and hunger returned. Unemployment grew. The Bolsonaros privatized the distribution and refining of fuels at a bargain price, and the value increased. Lula began the work of bringing back people's purchasing power. But you still feel it in your pocket today because rebuilding takes time", states the president in the advertisement.

In his speech, Lula tries to deconstruct the arguments used since the beginning by the senator's campaign, combating the narrative that Brazilians' lives have gotten worse during his third term.

Lula presents data and measures from the current government to support the message of recovering purchasing power. The program states that the minimum wage has risen above inflation since 2023, highlights the unemployment rate and cites measures related to Petrobras and fuel prices.

The advertisement also highlights tax reform and the promise of zero Income Tax for those earning up to R$5,000. In another excerpt, the program contrasts the governments of the two candidates with the phrase: "Talk is Flávio. Do is Lula".

Fight for first place

The confrontation between the two advertisements occurs at a time when the two candidates are approaching each other in the polls. According to the Quaest survey released on Monday (21), Lula appears with 37% of voting intentions in the first round, against 33% for Flávio. In the second round, the two also appear technically tied, with 41% for Lula and 42% for Flávio.

At this time, campaigns began to focus communication on topics with a direct impact on voters' daily lives.

Lula is also trying to shift the focus from the crisis involving the STF, which dominated political news last week and caused electoral wear and tear on the campaign. The president's team believes that the focus of the debate has begun to change with the readjustment of Bolsa Família and the announcement that the SUS should start offering weight loss pens.

The senator's campaign intends to use the period before the election to try to reduce the difference with President Lula in the Northeast and expand his vote in the Southeast. The PL candidate must continue focusing on economic issues, as in this Tuesday's electoral program, and also seek growth among the female public.