Lula Informs TV Globo He Will Skip All First‑Round Presidential Debates

Overview

• Lula told TV Globo on Wednesday, September 30 that he will not attend the network’s October 1 debate and will not participate in any first‑round debates this election cycle.
• TV Globo confirmed it will hold the October 1 debate with four confirmed participants: Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), Ronaldo Caiado (PSD), Augusto Cury (Avante) and Romeu Zema (Novo) after a court order required Zema’s inclusion.
• Lula’s campaign says the move is tactical, arguing that a crowded right‑of‑right field would make the incumbent the main target and block a direct one‑on‑one showdown with Flávio Bolsonaro.
• Flávio Bolsonaro has accepted the Globo invitation, used public events to press Lula for a direct confrontation and said he will attend to force a face‑to‑face exchange, continuing a pattern in which both leading candidates have skipped earlier debates.
• The dispute highlights how broadcasters, party representation rules and quick court interventions shape debate lineups and could change how voters see candidates by limiting live, multi‑candidate exchanges and concentrating media exposure.