Brazil: Haddad Denounces Bolsonaro's Fake News Against Him

Brazil’s presidential candidate Fernando Haddad, from the Workers’ Party (PT), warned voters on Thursday that his rival on the runoff, Jair Bolsonaro, is spreading fake news to damage his campaign.

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“Our recommendation to citizens is to verify the information before sharing lies. Lies can’t win an election. We must discuss a project in Brazil,” wrote Haddad in his Twitter account.

The PT candidate was making a reference to Bolsonaro’s accusations about Haddad’s intentions to censor the press in case of winning the elections. “Our rival says we will censor the press, but we’re not the ones hand-picking in where we speak,” he wrote.

Bolsonaro also affirmed that Haddad distributed inapropiate material for children during his time as education minister, but Haddad denied it.

“That never happened. It’s disrespectful to Brazil’s teachers. Imagine a teacher getting that material and using it without questioning it,” he said, “what I distributed where computers, buses and libraries.”

During the first round of the elections, the president of Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), Rosa Weber, informed that the institution is aware  of the possible fake news that could affect the process. The TSE, she said, is monitoring social media so these pieces are countered.

Haddad also called for a debate with Bolsonaro, as the far-right candidate of the Social Liberal Party (PSL) has repeatedly denied discussions with its center-left counterpart, and said it was “contradictory that a person can give an interview, which is like a debate with a journalist, and not being able to discuss with a rival. I think Brazil deserves a debate.”

“We’re going to defeat Bolsonaro on the streets, media and ballots,” says Sonia Guajajara, the first indigenous woman in a presidential formula in 518 years. @teleSURtv

Bolsonaro has cited health issues as his reason to refuse a debate with Brazil’s presidential candidates.

“I will go to any clinic he wants, there’s no problem. Brazilians need to know the truth. If there are ‘fake news’ we will deal with this as adults and without childish discussions on the internet taking advantage of people’s good will,” said Haddad.

Bolsonaro got 46.03 percent of the votes after the first round of the elections, leaving Haddad behind with 29.28 percent. the center-left candidate is trying to get support from other leftist and progressive parties for the second round.