Presenter José Luiz Datena (PSDB) attacked influencer Pablo Marçal (PRTB) and attacked him with a chair after being called a “wimp” during the debate promoted by TV Cultura with the candidates for Mayor of São Paulo, on the night of this Sunday, the 15th.
“Datena doesn’t even know what he’s talking about here. São Paulo wants to know when you’re going to stop (with your candidacy), because you’re a jerk. You crossed the debate these days to slap me. You’re not even a man for that,” said Marçal, before being attacked.
The debate moderator, Leão Serva, immediately called for commercials. When the broadcast resumed, the journalist stated that the episode was “one of the most absurd events in the history of Brazilian television” and announced Datena’s expulsion from the event. Marçal also left the debate, according to Serva, because he was “feeling unwell” after the attack.
In the first block of the debate, there had already been friction between the two candidates when Marçal recalled a case of sexual harassment involving Datena.
The influencer asked if the toucan had touched the victim’s private parts. Marçal referred to an accusation made by a former reporter for the program Brazil Urgent against Datena in 2019. In response, the presenter said that the case was archived. “The person who accused me publicly retracted his statement in court. He apologized to me and my family,” he said.
Pablo Marçal was admitted to the Sírio-Libanês Hospital, in the central region of the capital of São Paulo, after being attacked with a chair by his rival José Luiz Datena.
Marçal has “suspected fractures in the thoracic region and is having a lot of difficulty breathing,” according to a statement released by the influencer’s campaign late Sunday night. “We hope that the appropriate legal measures will be taken and we count on the people’s prayers,” says the statement from the PRTB candidate’s campaign.
José Luiz Datena said he did not regret having attacked his opponent Pablo Marçal during the debate hosted by TV Cultura. Datena said he lost control after Marçal mentioned a case of sexual harassment in which he was
involved in 2019. The damage caused by the complaint, which ended up being shelved by the courts, would have led to the death of the presenter’s mother-in-law. “I felt all of this coming back to me and I couldn’t contain myself. Am I wrong? I am. But what can I do? It’s over,” said the presenter, in an interview with TV Cultura, after being expelled from the debate.
Datena also said he intends to continue running for Mayor of São Paulo. “I intend to remain a candidate until the end,” Datena said as he left the debate. According to the PSDB member, the decision, however, “depends on the party.”
