(Adnkronos) – Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva Lula announced that he will authorize the Superior Electoral Court (Tse) to access his bank and telephone data, as well as that of his closest family members, challenging rival Flavio Bolsonaro to do the same ahead of the presidential runoff on Sunday, October 25. The initiative comes after mutual accusations of corruption during the last televised debate. “It is necessary to put an end once and for all, in this country, to the story of the thief who attacks honest people – Lula declared during a rally in Porto Alegre – Everyone knows each other’s history. I cannot allow a militiaman to stand behind me during the debate with the word ‘corrupt’ written on his hand. His family is corrupt.” The president specified that the authorization will also cover his five children, because “in every election, they invent something against my family.” “The time has come for Brazilian society to know who they are voting for,” he stated.
Lula, who confirmed that this will be his “last electoral competition,” then challenged Bolsonaro to also make the bank and telephone data of his companies and family accessible. “I want to know where the 134 million reais (about 23 million euros) from Banco Master went, I want to know how it was possible to buy something worth ten million reais with a salary equal to mine,” he declared, referring to a controversial funding for a film about former president Jair Bolsonaro and the purchase of a villa in Brasilia by Flavio’s son. “Have the courage to prove you are honest,” Lula urged, stating that he wants to defend “my honor, that of my family, and above all this country, which cannot have a thief in government.” Sunday’s runoff is expected to be particularly close: the latest polls indicate a situation of substantial parity between the two candidates, with a share of undecided voters and those inclined to cast blank or null ballots hovering around 8%.
