Brazil’s São Paulo Mayoral Debate Devolves into Violence as Candidate Attacks Rival with Chair

A heated mayoral debate in São Paulo took a shocking turn when candidate José Luiz Datena violently attacked his opponent, Pablo Marçal, with a chair, sending Marçal to the hospital, CNN reports.

The incident, which occurred during a live broadcast on TV Cultura, has sent shockwaves through the city’s political scene.

The altercation began during a tense exchange between the two candidates, with Datena taking offense to Marçal bringing up old sexual harassment allegations against him, which were dismissed years ago.

“He came with a case that was archived, that was not even investigated by the police because there was no evidence,” Datena said in an interview with TV Cultura. “Something from 11 years ago that caused a very serious situation within my family.”

Datena, visibly enraged, then swung the chair at Marçal, striking him in the chest and causing him to fall to the floor. He was immediately expelled from the debate but later defended his actions in a statement, claiming he made a mistake but didn’t regret it.

Marçal was taken to Sírio Libanês Hospital for treatment, where he was diagnosed with a possible chest fracture and difficulty breathing. The hospital reported that he had sustained trauma to his chest and wrist, but thankfully without major complications.

Marçal, in a stunning comparison, likened the attack to the July assassination attempt against former US President Donald Trump and the stabbing of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during the 2018 election, posting images of all three incidents on Instagram with the caption: “Why all this hate?”

The remaining candidates, Guilherme Boulos, Marina Helena, Ricardo Nunes, and Tabata Amaral, continued the debate despite the shocking violence. TV Cultura, expressing regret over the incident, said they proceeded with the discussion in accordance with the rules, following the agreement of the remaining candidates.

Marçal’s team has vowed to pursue legal action against Datena.

“Pablo Marçal was cowardly attacked by José Luiz Datena, who hit him in the ribs with an iron chair,” they said, adding that it was unfortunate the debate continued without their candidate.