A mayoral debate in Brazil took a shocking turn when one candidate attacked another with a metal chair during a live broadcast. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, September 15, was reported by CNN and involved candidates Pablo Marcal and Jose Luiz Datena.
The violent incident unfolded as Pablo Marcal was speaking during the debate. Unexpectedly, Jose Luiz Datena appeared from the shadows and launched a metal chair at Mr. Marcal. A video from the debate, aired live on TV Cultura, captured the heated moment when Mr. Datena approached Marcal and swung the heavy chair directly at him. Although Marcal managed to raise his arm at the last second to block the impact, the blow still caused harm.
𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
🇧🇷During the debate for the São Paulo mayoral race in Brazil, socialist candidate José Luiz Datena threw a chair at libertarian candidate Pablo Marçal. I'd pay more attention to the debates in my country if they were like this. pic.twitter.com/zvKKXardrD— Ara American Uncensored (@realaraamerican) September 17, 2024
Following the attack, Pablo Marcal was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated for suspected fractured ribs and breathing difficulties. Doctors confirmed that he had suffered trauma to his chest and wrist but did not face any major complications.
Jose Luiz Datena later explained his actions, revealing that Marcal had brought up old sexual harassment allegations against him during the debate. These allegations, according to Datena, had been dismissed several years ago due to a lack of evidence. “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 in an interview with TV Cultura.
After the violent incident, Datena was expelled from the debate. However, he remained defiant, admitting that while his actions were a mistake, he did not regret them. Marcal’s team condemned the attack, stating, “Pablo Marcal was cowardly attacked by Jose Luiz Datena, who hit him in the ribs with an iron chair.” They also expressed disappointment that the debate continued without Marcal’s presence.
Despite the disruption, the other candidates—Guilherme Boulos, Marina Helena, Ricardo Nunes, and Tabata Amaral—agreed to proceed with the debate. TV Cultura expressed regret over the incident but followed through with the discussion as per the rules agreed upon by the remaining candidates.
