Politics · Brazil · 1 hr ago
Flávio Bolsonaro asks election court to investigate Brazil’s police chief
Flávio Bolsonaro, a senator and presidential candidate for the Liberal Party, has asked Brazil’s election court to investigate federal police chief Andrei Rodrigues.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers say Rodrigues may have used his office to benefit the Workers’ Party, whose candidate is President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The complaint concerns a statement Rodrigues made on the day of the first round of voting about a preliminary inquiry into suspected foreign interference in the election.
Bolsonaro’s lawyers argue that news coverage of the statement harmed his campaign and helped Lula’s party.
The Federal Police later closed the request to investigate, saying it found no grounds to open a formal inquiry.
Bolsonaro’s complaint says Rodrigues may have breached an election law that bars public institutions from being used to benefit a political party.
The election court has been asked to investigate the allegation; the source gives no decision on the request.
Flávio Bolsonaro asked Brazil’s electoral court to investigate Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues over alleged benefit to the Workers’ Party during the election.
The request was filed on Sunday, October 11, by Bolsonaro’s lawyers.
They argue Rodrigues’s comments about a preliminary inquiry into alleged foreign interference helped the Workers’ Party.
The Federal Police later said it had found no grounds to open an investigation into the alleged interference.
- Who
- Flávio Bolsonaro, a senator and presidential candidate, asked for an investigation into Federal Police Director-General Andrei Rodrigues.
- What
- Bolsonaro’s lawyers filed a criminal complaint with the electoral court, alleging Rodrigues may have used public resources to benefit the Workers’ Party.
- When
- Sunday, October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Brazil’s electoral court.
- Why
- Bolsonaro’s lawyers argue that Rodrigues’s comments about alleged foreign interference in the election benefited the Workers’ Party.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
In a polarized presidential election between the Workers’ Party candidate [President Lula] and the Liberal Party candidate [Flávio Bolsonaro], today opponents in the second round, every negative charge leveled at one of them, by definition, benefits the other.
If there was nothing to investigate, all that remained was what to disclose. And disclosure, on the day of the first round, only benefited one party: the Workers’ Party.
Andrei Rodrigues told journalists there was a preliminary investigative procedure into alleged foreign interference in the election.
The Federal Police said it had archived the attorney general’s request to investigate alleged foreign interference, finding no grounds to seek a formal inquiry.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s lawyers filed a criminal complaint asking the electoral court to investigate Rodrigues.
- Filing date
- October 11, 2026
- Accused official
- Andrei Rodrigues, Federal Police director-general
- Requesting candidate
- Flávio Bolsonaro, Liberal Party
- Subject of alleged inquiry
- Foreign interference in the 2026 election
- Potential penalty cited
- Up to six months’ detention and a fine
Sources
Related news
Opposition seeks to delay Senate vote on ending the 6x1 work schedule
Lula campaign accuses Meta of limiting its posts before Brazil runoff
Northeast is not more dominated by the left than the rest of Brazil
São Paulo officers removed from duty after 20-year-old is fatally shot
Tarcísio and Nunes confirm São Paulo rally for Flávio Bolsonaro
Transparency group renews complaint over AGU payment data
Brazil court suspends Stake’s temporary permission to operate
Brazil cuts fuel taxes and expands subsidies in R$5.2 billion package
Pro-Lula rally attendees damage entrances to two São Paulo metro stations
Brazil's presidential candidates rally support ahead of October 25 runoff
Brazil’s electoral court restores pro-Lula WhatsApp channel pending full review
