Politics · Brazil · 4 hrs ago
Brazil election court orders review of pro-Lula WhatsApp channel
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) has ordered its office dealing with disinformation to investigate a WhatsApp channel called “Exército do Lula,” or “Lula’s Army.”
The channel is run by federal lawmaker André Janones and has more than three million users.
The campaign of presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro accused Janones of using it to spread false information and coordinate attacks on Bolsonaro’s candidacy.
TSE president Kássio Nunes Marques had ordered the channel censored.
On Sunday, electoral judge Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva overturned that order and allowed the channel to operate, including new posts and followers, while the full court considers the matter.
Cueva said Janones must not share content the court has previously ruled unlawful.
The investigation will examine whether channel content is circulating on other platforms and whether steps have been taken to assess risks to the election process.
Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court ordered an investigation into content on a pro-Lula WhatsApp channel run by federal deputy André Janones.
The channel, called “Lula’s Army,” has more than 3 million users.
The order came after an electoral judge overturned a previous order to censor the channel.
The channel may operate and accept new followers while the court considers the case, but Janones must not share content the court has previously found unlawful.
- Who
- The Superior Electoral Court and its president, Kássio Nunes Marques, ordered the investigation. The channel is run by federal deputy André Janones.
- What
- The court’s disinformation unit must investigate the channel’s content and whether it is shared on other platforms.
- When
- Sunday, October 11, 2026.
- Where
- On WhatsApp in Brazil.
- Why
- Flávio Bolsonaro’s presidential campaign accused Janones of spreading false information and coordinating attacks against its candidate.
Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign
André Janones and the “Lula’s Army” channel
Alleged conduct
Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign
The campaign accused Janones of using the channel to spread false information and coordinate attacks against its candidate.
André Janones and the “Lula’s Army” channel
The source does not report Janones’s response to the accusations.
Channel access
Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign
The campaign’s request led to an order to censor the channel.
André Janones and the “Lula’s Army” channel
Judge Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva overturned the censorship, allowing the channel to operate and accept new followers until the court considers the matter.
risks to the integrity of the electoral process
Kássio Nunes Marques ordered the “Lula’s Army” channel censored at the request of Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign.
Judge Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva overturned the censorship and allowed the channel to resume operating until the court considers the matter.
Nunes Marques ordered the court’s disinformation unit to investigate the channel’s content.
- Channel
- Exército do Lula” (“Lula’s Army”)
- Administrator
- André Janones, federal deputy for Rede-MG
- Audience
- More than 3 million users
- Investigation body
- The TSE’s disinformation unit
- Court restriction
- Janones must not share content previously found unlawful by the court
Sources
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