Lula and Bolsonaro Skip Televised Debate as Zema Cites Absence to Withdraw

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers’ Party (PT) and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL) said they will not take part in the presidential debate scheduled for Sunday evening on Rede Bandeirantes. According to O Globo, neither candidate has an official agenda for the day and both campaigns confirmed their absence. The debate was originally set for August 16 but was moved after speculation that Lula might attend.

Romeu Zema, governor of Minas Gerais and candidate of the New Party (Novo), announced his withdrawal from the same event, citing Lula’s non‑participation as the reason. In a statement released by his office, Zema said the date change had lost its purpose without the presence of the leading contender and that he would not take part in the debate promoted by Bandeirantes.

The absence of the two front‑runners leaves only three lesser‑known candidates confirmed to appear: Ronaldo Caiado of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), Renan Santos of the Mission Party, and Augusto Cury of Avante. The debate will be moderated by Adriana Araújo and Eduardo Oinegue and will consist of three thematic blocks followed by two rounds of direct cross‑examination where candidates can move freely around the studio.

According to the latest Datafolha poll released on Friday, Lula leads with 39 % of voting intentions in the first round, while Bolsonaro follows with 33 %. Both are ahead of the rest of the field, which is clustered within the margin of error. In a hypothetical second‑round matchup, Lula holds 47 % against Bolsonaro’s 43 %.

Because the article relies on a single news outlet for all factual claims, readers should note this is single‑source reporting. The story provides the essential facts about the candidates’ schedules, the debate’s structure, and the current polling landscape without adding interpretation or speculation.