Senator and PL presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro announced on Tuesday (13.out.2026) that he will skip the upcoming presidential debate hosted by Band. The event is scheduled for Sunday (18.out).
The Band Boycott and Lula’s Confirmed Attendance
Addressing reporters following an event at the political committee of São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas, which marked the announcement of the support of 17 state directories of the MDB for his candidacy, Flávio Bolsonaro stated, “Não vou, não está previsto ir nesse debate domingo.” The majority support was engineered by Tarcísio and São Paulo Ricardo Nunes. While some states like São Paulo backed Flávio since the campaign’s start, others joined following the defeat of Ronaldo Caiado to the Planalto. He added that his technical team holds the final say regarding whether he will attend the final debate hosted by TV Globo on October 23. Initially, Flávio stated that he wanted to participate in debates during the first round and considers debates important.
Lula e Flávio Bolsonaro intensificam a campanha a dois dias do primeiro turno. Enquanto Lula busca mobilizar eleitores no Sudeste, Flávio usa o cancelamento do debate para pedir voto útil. Outros candidatos também criticaram o episódio. pic.twitter.com/qpDXmmO1Hd
Moments after the announcement, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva confirmed his own participation in the Sunday showdown. Lula previously stated on October 5 that television debates are now important because the race is head-to-head, allowing each candidate to explain their proposals. Lula’s campaign sent a video to the organizing networks reinforcing that the incumbent intends to participate in the head-to-head format, stating in the video that he hopes his adversary attends so the public can learn about their differing campaigns and programs. The Sunday event is a joint production involving the Band network alongside Estadão, TV Cultura, TV Gazeta, Jovem Pan, and YouTube.
Bandeirantes affirmed that the broadcast will proceed as planned. The network confirmed that if one candidate fails to show up, an empty pulpit will mark their absence.
Stalled Negotiations Over Globo’s Debate Rules
Uncertainty also surrounds the final face-to-face television matchup. Following a Tuesday meeting to review formats, themes, block operations, speaking times, press credentials, security procedures, and the order draw, Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign declined to sign the rules document for the TV Globo debate slated for October 23.
The network established a deadline of Monday (19.out) for the campaign to formalize its adherence. While Lula’s representatives signed the terms, Flávio’s technical staff continues to evaluate participation.
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This follows a first round defined by repeated cancellations. Neither candidate participated in televised debates during the initial phase of the race. The sole debate held in the first round took place on August 23 on Band, featuring Ronaldo Caiado, Renan Santos, Augusto Cury, and Romeu Zema. Planned encounters by the Record network for September 23 and the Momento da Decisão consortium for September 14 were scrapped after both leading campaigns withheld confirmation. A scheduled Globo debate on October 1 was also not held due to the withdrawal of Flávio hours before the debate and judicial decisions that interfered with the program’s rules. Additionally, a Record debate on Sunday, October 11, was canceled after the campaigns failed to confirm attendance.
