Brazilian presidential candidate Ronaldo Caiado called for common sense and balance during a campaign stop in Goiânia on Monday ahead of Sunday's national vote.
Speaking to reporters in the capital of Goiás, the former state governor warned that the presidential contest must not become a game of revenge between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party.
Caiado said he hoped voters would treat the closing days of the campaign as a period of reflection rather than an occasion for hatred. He told reporters that choosing a national leader for the next four years was not comparable to a football match, urging citizens to think carefully about the responsibilities of governing the country.
Voters across Brazil will go to the polls on Sunday to choose the leaders who will represent the country over the next four years. Under the Brazilian electoral system, voters cast ballots in general elections to select the president as well as members of the federal legislature.
Alternative to political polarization
Caiado, who represents the Social Democratic Party, pointed to his administration's approval ratings in Goiás as credentials showing that he offers a viable alternative to both Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro. He stated that only an atmosphere of national pacification could produce a government capable of rescuing democracy.
The candidate added that national leadership requires the building of peace rather than governing with hatred. He said attempting to govern through hatred puts democracy at risk and creates room for actions that place the political system in jeopardy.
Goiás is a major agricultural and economic state located in central Brazil, where Caiado served as governor before launching his national candidacy. The presidential race has centered on intense competition between the political movements led by Lula on the left and the Bolsonaro family on the right.
Final televised presidential debate
Caiado also confirmed that he will take part in the final debate of the first round of the election, which will be broadcast on Thursday by television network TV Globo. The event serves as the final broadcast debate among candidates before voting opens on Sunday.
Asked at the end of the interview whether he would attend the broadcaster's debate, Caiado said his participation was certain, asking whether anyone had ever seen him miss a debate and replying that he never had. The debate on Thursday is scheduled to be held three days before the country votes on Sunday.
