Mayoral Debate in Brazil Goes Wild After Candidate Strikes Rival with Chair on Live TV
Things took a crazy turn during a debate in São Paulo, Brazil after one candidate for mayor violently attacked the other, using a chair as his weapon of choice.
A clip from a live Sunday broadcast by TV Cultura showed a contentious exchange between José Luiz Datena and Pablo Marçal just before Datena hurled the object at his opponent.
Datana was kicked out of the debate, according to CNN, while Marçal was checked into the Sírio Libanês Hospital. His team reported that he was seen for a potential fracture in the chest region and had experienced breathing difficulties.
The hospital reported that there was chest and wrist trauma, but that the complications are minor.
“Pablo Marçal was cowardly attacked by José Luiz Datena, who hit him in the ribs with an iron chair,” Marçal’s team said, in addition to promising it would take legal action.
Datana said in a statement delivered Monday that he launched the attack because Marçal had mentioned old sexual harassment allegations against Datana that had been dismissed in prior years.
“He came with a case that was archived, that was not even investigated by the police because there was no evidence. Something from 11 years ago that caused a very serious situation within my family,” Datena said. He indicated he did not regret his actions, CNN reports.
Marçal has shot up in polls in recent months as he faces a close election against incumbent Ricardo Nunes and leftist lawmaker Guilherme Boulos, according to the Associated Press. Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has notably endorsed Nunes in the mayoral election.
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