Politics · Brazil · 1 hr ago
Lula and Bolsonaro seek to challenge each other’s candidacies in Brazil
Brazil’s presidential runoff is set for Sunday, with Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro facing each other after Bolsonaro won the first round by 47% to 45%.
Flávio Bolsonaro asked the country’s electoral court to cancel Lula’s candidacy, alleging that a government WhatsApp account improperly promoted Lula during the campaign.
Lula’s team plans to challenge Bolsonaro’s candidacy, alleging that Meta’s algorithms treated the candidates unfairly; it postponed filing its case until Wednesday.
Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and has denied the accusations while acknowledging technical problems that it says were not limited to Brazil.
Brazil’s electoral court ordered Meta to ensure equal treatment for both campaigns and threatened a daily fine of about $200,000 if the company failed to show it had acted.
Meta said it had followed the court’s orders, while an independent Meta advisory body found recurring problems involving election content.
The court is weighing both campaigns’ claims as voters prepare to choose between the candidates on Sunday.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro are seeking to have each other’s candidacies disqualified over alleged election-related misconduct on social media.
Bolsonaro’s campaign filed a petition accusing Lula of abuse of power over the alleged mass distribution of government content on WhatsApp during the campaign.
Lula’s campaign said it would file a petition on Oct. 21 accusing Meta of algorithmic manipulation and seeking Bolsonaro’s disqualification.
Meta denies favouring either candidate and says it has complied with electoral court orders to treat the campaigns equally.
The candidates are due to face each other in a runoff on Oct. 25, after Bolsonaro won 47% and Lula 45% in the first round.
- Who
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and challenger Flávio Bolsonaro.
- What
- Each campaign is seeking to disqualify the other candidate over alleged election-related misconduct involving social media.
- When
- The petitions and related developments occurred on Oct. 20, with Lula’s filing planned for Oct. 21. The runoff is scheduled for Oct. 25.
- Where
- Brazil; the petitions are before the Superior Electoral Court.
- Why
- Lula’s campaign alleges Meta interfered with the election through algorithmic manipulation. Bolsonaro’s campaign alleges Lula abused his power by disseminating government content on WhatsApp during the campaign.
Lula’s campaign
Bolsonaro’s campaign
Alleged misconduct
Lula’s campaign
Lula’s campaign alleges Meta manipulated algorithms and limited Lula-related content, benefiting Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro’s campaign
Bolsonaro’s campaign accuses Lula of abusing power through the mass dissemination of government content on WhatsApp during the campaign.
Requested action
Lula’s campaign
Lula’s campaign plans to ask the electoral court to disqualify Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro’s campaign
Bolsonaro’s campaign has asked the electoral court to disqualify Lula.
Brazil’s top electoral court ordered Meta to show within 24 hours that it was treating the campaigns equally, or face a daily fine.
Lula supporters protested outside Meta’s offices in São Paulo.
Bolsonaro’s campaign filed a petition accusing Lula of abuse of power over WhatsApp content.
Meta and lawyers for both campaigns met at the Superior Electoral Court about compliance with its order.
Lula’s campaign said it would submit its petition seeking Bolsonaro’s disqualification over alleged Meta interference.
Lula and Bolsonaro are scheduled to meet in the runoff.
- First-round vote
- Flávio Bolsonaro 47%; Lula 45%
- Lula petition
- Planned filing date: Oct. 21
- Bolsonaro petition
- Accuses Lula of abuse of power over government content on WhatsApp
- Court order to Meta
- 24 hours to demonstrate equal treatment of campaigns
- Potential fine
- About US$200,000 per day
- Runoff
- Scheduled for Oct. 25
3 sources
What people are saying
We have completed the implementation of the measures to comply with the Superior Electoral Court’s decision
Transparency and equality between the candidates is what we seek to safeguard