Politics · Brazil · 1 hr ago
Brazil election chief suspends union newspaper at Flávio Bolsonaro's request
Brazil's election court chief suspended a union newspaper's circulation at the request of presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.
The publication, from a union representing petroleum workers in four Brazilian states and the Federal District, compared what political projects offered Brazil ahead of the election's first round.
Bolsonaro's campaign said it favored Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and was focused on the presidential race rather than workers' issues.
Court chief Kassio Nunes Marques said unions may discuss policies affecting their members, but their structure cannot be turned into a campaign tool.
He ordered the union to stop distribution, remove the online material and store undistributed copies for the court.
The union called the order an attack on freedom of expression and the right to inform the public, saying the paper aimed to discuss proposals for Petrobras.
The decision was carried out last week, and the union must keep the remaining copies available to the court.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court president, Kassio Nunes Marques, suspended distribution and circulation of a newspaper published by an oil workers’ union at presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro’s request.
The order also required the union to remove the publication from the internet and collect undistributed copies.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign argued that the newspaper favored Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and was devoted to the presidential election.
Nunes Marques said unions may discuss policies affecting workers but must not turn their structure into a campaign tool.
The union called the measure an attack on freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.
- Who
- Superior Electoral Court president Kassio Nunes Marques ordered the suspension at the request of presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro.
- What
- Distribution and circulation of the union newspaper Petróleo dos Brasileiros were suspended.
- When
- The order was carried out the week before the article was published on October 13, 2026. The exact date of the order is not stated.
- Where
- Brazil; the newspaper was published by Sindipetro Unificado, which represents oil workers in São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul and the Federal District.
- Why
- Bolsonaro’s campaign argued that the newspaper’s content was devoted to the presidential election and favored Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign and the court
Sindipetro Unificado
Electoral purpose
Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign and the court
The campaign said the newspaper was devoted to the presidential contest and systematically favored Lula while criticizing Bolsonaro.
Sindipetro Unificado
The union said the publication aimed to explain what each political project proposed for the future of Petrobras.
Use of union structure
Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign and the court
Nunes Marques said the law does not allow a union structure to be turned into a campaign tool.
Sindipetro Unificado
The union said the suspension prevented public discussion of proposals for Petrobras.
Effect of the order
Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign and the court
The court ordered circulation and distribution to stop, online material to be removed, and undistributed copies to be collected.
Sindipetro Unificado
The union called the measure a serious attack on freedom of expression and the right to inform the public.
The union distributed the newspaper titled “Election 2026: what does each project defend for Brazil?
The court’s suspension order was carried out.
- Newspaper
- Petróleo dos Brasileiros
- Publisher
- Sindipetro Unificado
- Court president
- Kassio Nunes Marques
- Candidate who requested the order
- Flávio Bolsonaro
- Court measures
- Stop distribution and circulation, remove online material, and collect undistributed copies
- Union represented
- Oil workers in São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso do Sul and the Federal District
What people are saying
the legal order does not allow the union structure to be turned into a campaign tool
the measure represents a serious attack on freedom of expression and the right to inform the population
Sources
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