The penultimate televised debate before next weekend’s presidential election was overshadowed by a homophobic rant by fringe candidate Levy Fidelix, reports The Guardian.

Fidelix, a conservative and former journalist with no hope of winning, was entitled to almost as much screentime as the leading candidates.

On the Sunday debate, he said that gay people “need psychological care” and are better kept “well away from” other people.  He also suggested that Brazil’s population would be reduced by half if homosexuality were encouraged because “the excretory system” does not function as a means of reproduction.

Although his comments went unremarked upon by the three main candidates – including former environment minister Marina Silva, who earlier this month reversed her support for same-sex marriage – his insults and the other candidates’ failure to address them quickly dominated post-debate discussion on social networks. 

Levy Fidelix w/ his medieval homophobic tirade has just given us a great reason why debates in Brazil might be better w/o fringe candidates

— Alex Cuadros (@AlexCuadros) September 29, 2014

Brazil: homophobic rant during TV debate went unremarked upon by the 3 main presidential candidates t.co/nh56XISC51 via @jimmygreer

— Anna (@abracarioca) September 29, 2014

According to the most recent polls, incumbent Dlima Rousseff will win the first round on October 5th and then face a run-off with Silva on October 26th.