A Brazilian mayoral candidate was hospitalized after being attacked with a metal chair by his political rival.
One of Pablo Marcal's opponents was accused of sexual misconduct by the mayoral candidate.
On Sunday night, a televised mayoral debate in Sao Paulo, Brazil turned intense as one of the six contenders assaulted another with a metal chair.
During the debate, Pablo Marcal, a personal development influencer turned politician, addressed allegations against his opponent, José Luiz Datena, a former TV presenter and candidate.
Datena had wanted to slap Marcal, according to him, saying, "You're not even man enough to do this."
Marcal was approached by Datena, who carried a metal chair over his head and slammed it into Marcal's side as he raised his arms.
The TV Cultura debate moderator interrupted the event after the attack and cut to commercials. The debate continued on Sunday night without Marcal.
Marcal was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and reportedly received respiratory support.
On Monday, he shared with his followers that he experienced pain while breathing and sustained a fracture on the lower part of his rib cage.
Marcal experienced trauma to his right chest and wrist, but there were no significant complications, according to hospital officials. He has since been discharged.
Marcal described the incident as an "attempted homicide" on social media, likening it to the attempted assassination of former President Trump in July and the stabbing of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in 2018.
The Associated Press reported that no charges were filed against Datena following an investigation into alleged misconduct, as the accuser later retracted her statements.
Datena has also denied the accusations.
Datena revealed to reporters that the episode of the debate caused him immense pain because he believes it led to his mother-in-law's strokes and eventual death.
Though he had no regrets, Datena acknowledged making a mistake during the debate on Monday.
He stated that if the circumstances were the same, he would not hesitate to repeat the gesture, an extreme reaction to the history of aggression perpetrated against him and many others by his adversary.
The campaign team of Marcal stated that the debate should not have proceeded without him and they hope legal action is taken against Datena.
The incident on Sunday night was recorded by Sao Paulo's public security agency as "bodily injury and insult." The investigation into the matter is still ongoing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
world
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