BRASILIA — Speculation that far-right presidential challenger Flávio Bolsonaro might strip Brazil’s patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida, of her official position has erupted into a nationwide row days before Sunday’s first-round general election, with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Bolsonaro still deadlocked in the polls, The Guardian reported.
Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, called the claims “fake news.” Analyst Thomas Traumann told The Guardian the controversy “could sway things one way or the other” in a knife-edge race that may force an October 25 runoff. Lula, who is Catholic, has publicly embraced the Aparecida image; the feud mixes religion, culture-war messaging and last-minute turnout politics after TV Globo cancelled a final debate amid court-ordered format changes.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court and Supreme Federal Court intervened late on debate rules Thursday, and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro withdrew from the Globo event after Lula declined to appear, according to Brazilian reporting covered in Thursday’s evening wires. First-round voting is Sunday, October 4.
Sources: The Guardian, France 24
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