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Story summary
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and challenger Flávio Bolsonaro refused to attend the debate, causing its cancellation.
- The Superior Electoral Court barred an empty chair for absent candidates, prompting O Globo to cancel the debate.
- A Folha da São Paulo columnist described the court’s intervention as “banana-republic” level interference.
- International observers arrived to monitor Brazil’s presidential election, where polls predict a first-round Lula win and possible Oct 25 runoff.
