Mayoral Debate in Brazil Turns Violent as Candidate Assaulted with Chair

A televised mayoral debate in Brazil descended into chaos when one candidate attacked another with a metal chair, leaving the victim hospitalized.

A televised mayoral debate in Sao Paulo, Brazil took a shocking turn on Sunday night when one of the six candidates attacked another candidate with a metal chair. The incident, caught on live video, sent the debate into disarray and left the victim hospitalized.

Pablo Marcal, a personal development influencer turned right-wing politician, was speaking about allegations against one of his opponents, José Luiz Datena, a former TV presenter turned candidate, during the debate. Marcal claimed that Datena had wanted to slap him in the past, adding, "You’re not even man enough to do this."

Mayoral Debate in Brazil Turns Violent as Candidate Assaulted with Chair

Moments later, Datena was seen walking toward Marcal’s podium with a metal chair over his head. The video shows Datena slamming the chair into Marcal’s side as he raised his arms in defense.

The debate moderator for TV Cultura immediately interrupted the event and cut to commercials. The debate later resumed on Sunday night without Marcal, who was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

Mayoral Debate in Brazil Turns Violent as Candidate Assaulted with Chair

Marcal later explained to his followers that he felt pain while breathing and suffered a fracture on the bottom of his rib cage. Hospital officials said in a statement that Marcal suffered "trauma to the right chest region and right wrist without major associated complications," adding that he had been discharged.

Marcal called the incident an "attempted homicide" on social media, comparing it to the attempted assassination of former President Trump in July and the stabbing of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in 2018.

Mayoral Debate in Brazil Turns Violent as Candidate Assaulted with Chair

Datena has denied the accusations, and after the debate, told reporters that the episode had been painful for him because he believes it prompted his mother-in-law to suffer a series of strokes and later dying.

On Monday, Datena acknowledged making a mistake during the debate, though he had no regrets. "If the circumstances were the same, I would not refrain from repeating the gesture, an extreme response to a history of aggression perpetrated against me and many others by my adversary," he said.

Mayoral Debate in Brazil Turns Violent as Candidate Assaulted with Chair

Marcal’s campaign team condemned the attack and said the debate should not have continued without him. They also said they hope legal measures are taken against Datena.

The incident was logged with Sao Paulo’s public security agency as "bodily injury and insult." An investigation into the matter is ongoing.

The attack has sparked outrage and condemnation in Brazil, with many politicians and citizens calling for Datena to be held accountable for his actions. The incident has also raised concerns about the level of violence in Brazilian politics and the need for greater security at public events.

The Sao Paulo mayoral election is scheduled to be held in October 2024. It remains to be seen whether the attack will have any impact on the race or on the political climate in Brazil.