When you think you’ve seen it all in Brazilian politics, you’re surprised by a scene of horrors live on television last Sunday (15).
In a debate among six candidates for the mayor of São Paulo, the largest city in Latin America, candidate Pablo Marçal referred to candidate José Luiz Datena, an anti-crime television journalist, bringing up sexual harassment allegations against him that were later dismissed.
“You crossed the line of the debate recently to slap me,” Marçal said, referring to a previous debate where Datena approached Marçal. “You’re not even man enough to do that.”
Datena didn’t think twice and attacked Marçal with a chair from behind.
A candidate assaulting another live on television was undoubtedly a rather absurd moment even in the outrageous Brazilian politics.
The act of violence promises to change the course of the race.
Marçal quickly capitalized, posting several videos on social media after the attack, including a dramatized clip of him being rushed to the hospital and breathing with the help of an oxygen mask. He also left the hospital dressed in a hospital gown and arm sling.
Although the hospital that treated him did not disclose details about his injuries, Marçal’s team initially stated that he had broken a rib and was having difficulty breathing. A video from inside the debate room after the attack showed him and Datena standing and shouting at each other.
Marçal is a new name in politics. But his style is not. He tries to follow the mold of right-wing politicians, such as Donald J. Trump and former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.
On Sunday night, he posted an image of the chair attack alongside photos of the assassination attempt on Trump in July of this year and the stabbing Bolsonaro suffered during his 2018 campaign. “Why all this hate?” he wrote.
He initially called the incident a “attempted homicide.” But upon leaving the hospital on Monday morning (16), he said he had only suffered a “collision.”
Marçal’s team said they had filed a police report about the incident.
Marçal is tied with two other candidates for first place in the polls. Current mayor Ricardo Nunes from the MDB has 24% of the voting intentions. Pablo Marçal from the PRTB records 22%, as does Guilherme Boulos from the PSOL.
Datena, a centrist who became famous for hosting a television program reporting crimes across Brazil, is in fifth place, with only 7% of voters saying they intend to vote for him.
The first round of voting is scheduled for October 6.
After the incident, Datena said that “he lost his cool,” but did not apologize and stated that he would remain in the race. “I made a mistake, but I don’t regret it at all,” he said.
Sources: The New York Times and AP