Lula questioned his opponent’s closeness to U.S. leaders and asked whether, under a potential administration of his, Brazil would cede control of strategic resources—such as rare earths and minerals used in semiconductors and batteries.

During the debate, Lula also questioned Flavio’s stance on Washington’s policy toward Brazil, as well as his intention to join the “Shield of the Americas” initiative, boosted by Trump.

According to journalist Igor Gielow, writing for the newspaper *Folha de S. Paulo*, Flavio “failed to convince” when questioned about his relationship with the U.S. president.

Furthermore, Lula da Silva challenged Senator Flavio Bolsonaro to waive his bank and telephone privacy protections.

In his remarks, Lula told his opponent:

“I challenge you: let’s both open up our bank accounts and our telephone records tomorrow, so that the Brazilian people can see who the thief is.”

He even stated that he was willing to extend this to his entire family, and called on his opponent to do the same. Flavio did not explicitly accept the challenge, responding instead with accusations on the president.

In his closing statement, the president expressed gratitude for the support of his followers and advocated for the continuation of his administration. He asserted that Brazil has the potential for further growth, highlighting the recovery of the industrial sector as a key priority, while criticizing privatizations and defending the importance of strong, productive state-owned enterprises.

Furthermore, he accused his opponent of intending to privatize Petrobras and 95 percent of Brazil’s state-owned enterprises.

jdt/arc/mar

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