Brazilian presidential candidate Renan Santos, of the Missão party, said during a televised debate on Sunday that he would confront criminal factions with what he called a blood bath, in a night that also saw sharp exchanges over corruption, education and the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The remarks came in the third block of the presidential debate broadcast by TV Bandeirantes, one of Brazil's largest television networks, on August 23. Ronaldo Caiado, of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), used the segment to criticize Lula's administration, of the Workers' Party (PT), while Augusto Cury, of the Avante party, proposed classifying corruption as a heinous crime.
In Brazil, a heinous crime designation carries some of the toughest penalties under the law, ruling out bail, amnesty and other forms of leniency for those convicted.
The debate is one of several taking place ahead of Brazil's presidential election, with voting scheduled for October 2026. Lula, who first served as president from 2003 to 2010, returned to office in January 2023 after defeating Jair Bolsonaro in the previous election.
Renan Santos threatens gang members with a 'blood bath'
Santos, a co-founder of the right-wing Movimento Brasil Livre who now leads the Missão party, told the debate that criminals who surrendered would still face years behind bars, but that those who refused would encounter something they had never seen before in their lives.
Cury calls for financial literacy and public speaking classes
Cury, a psychiatrist and best-selling author before entering politics, said Brazil's public school system should teach financial management and public speaking. He argued that the current system excludes neurodivergent students.
He also criticized what he called Cartesian education and called for a revolution in public schooling. Cury said teachers had become like cooks preparing food for an audience with no appetite, worn down by digital intoxication and a teaching style he described as dry and cold.
Caiado points to Goiás state schools
Responding to a question from Cury about proposals for a revolution in technical education, Caiado, who governed the state of Goiás, pointed to the performance of Goiás's state schools during his time in office, saying he had worked to give students dignity.
Caiado targets Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro over absences
Caiado also used the title of former President Jair Bolsonaro's biopic, "Dark Horse," to criticize the absence of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, of the Liberal Party (PL), from the debate. For Lula's absence, he coined the term "Dark Lobby," a reference to investigations involving Lula's son, known as Lulinha, and lobbyist Roberta Luchsinger.
Caiado asked why the two men had not come to the debate and how they would explain themselves. He said he had first called on Flávio Bolsonaro to explain the allegations raised against him in connection with "Dark Horse," but that the senator gave no response. He added that Lula had his own "Dark Lobby," naming Luchsinger and Lulinha as the central figures in what he called that story.
How the candidates were positioned on stage
TV Bandeirantes determined the candidates' positions through a drawing held with campaign advisers and coordinators present, arranging them from left to right as seen by viewers.
The lineup placed Santos at the far left, followed by Lula and then Flávio Bolsonaro. Caiado, Cury and Romeu Zema, of the Novo party and governor of Minas Gerais, completed the panel. Under the rules, any candidate who chose not to attend would leave their podium empty.
Debate format and eligibility rules
The debate opened with rounds in which moderators asked all candidates the same questions on central campaign themes, giving each two minutes to present their proposals.
In rounds involving questions from journalists or direct exchanges between candidates, the person asking a question had up to one minute to pose it, while the candidate questioned had four minutes to respond, including any rebuttal and counter-rebuttal.
Under Brazilian electoral law, candidates are eligible to take part in the debates if their parties hold at least five seats in the National Congress and their candidacy has been approved by electoral authorities. The number of participants and the debate's other rules are set by agreement between the parties and the broadcaster, with Brazil's Electoral Justice notified of the arrangements.
