Brazilian mayoral candidate hospitalized after rival attacks him with metal chair: Watch
A Sao Paulo, Brazil candidate for mayor was attacked by one of his rivals during a televised debate on Sunday, sending him to the hospital and missing the rest of the debate.
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A televised mayoral discussion in Sao Paulo, Brazil, descended into violence on Sunday night when one of the six contenders used a metal chair to strike another contender.
During the debate, Pablo Marcal, a right-wing politician and personal development influencer, discussed accusations made against José Luiz Datena, a former TV personality who is running for office, according to the Associated Press.
"You're not even man enough to do this," Marcal replied, referring to Datena's desire to slap him.
Then, during the live feed, Datena could be seen approaching Marcal's platform, slamming into his side as he lifted his arms, and carrying a metal chair over his head.
Immediately following the attack, the debate moderator for TV Cultura interrupted the event and cut to commercials. The debate later resumed on Sunday night without Marcal.
Rather than continue the debate, Marcal was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, where he reportedly received respiratory support.
On Monday, he explained to his followers that he felt pain while breathing and suffered a fracture on the bottom of his rib cage.
Hospital officials said in a statement that Marcal suffered "trauma to the right chest region and right wrist without major associated complications," adding that he had been discharged.
Marcal called the incident an "attempted homicide" on social media, even comparing it to the attempted assassination of former President Trump in July, and to the stabbing of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in 2018.
An inquiry into Datena’s alleged misconduct never resulted in charges, the Associated Press reported, and the issue was shelved after the accuser retracted her statements.
Datena has also denied the accusations.
After the debate, Datena told reporters the episode had been painful for him because he believes it prompted his mother-in-law to suffer a series of strokes and later dying.
On Monday, Datena acknowledged making a mistake during the debate, though he had no regrets.
"If the circumstances were the same, I would not refrain from repeating the gesture, an extreme response to a history of aggression perpetrated against me and many others by my adversary," he said.
Marcal’s campaign team said the debate should not have continued without him, adding they hope legal measures are taken against Datena.
On Sunday night, the incident was logged with Sao Paulo’s public security agency as "bodily injury and insult." An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
