Lula Camp Moves to Disqualify Bolsonaro While Meta Bias Allegations Swirl
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Brazil's electoral court is now facing competing petitions, with Lula's camp targeting Bolsonaro over alleged Meta interference and Bolsonaro accusing Lula of using state power and government messaging to rig the contest.
Brazil's top electoral court received a petition from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's campaign seeking to disqualify right-wing candidate Flávio Bolsonaro and his running mate Alfredo Gaspar over alleged interference by social-media company Meta. The filing alleges Meta limited Lula-aligned content while boosting Bolsonaro’s campaign on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, a claim that puts the issue of platform neutrality at the center of a tense electoral showdown.
In a counter-petition, Bolsonaro accused Lula of abusing political and economic power by mass-disseminating government posts on WhatsApp and asked for Lula’s disqualification, turning the dispute into a fierce legal clash over whether the incumbent’s machinery is being used for campaign advantage.
The United Nations’ special rapporteur on freedom of expression expressed concern about unequal access to Meta’s services during the election, citing reports of temporary interruptions to campaign accounts, differing audience engagement, and restrictions on Instagram posts. The rapporteur’s report warned that accounts linked to one side of the race appeared to be disproportionately curtailed, adding international scrutiny to the allegations.
Meta denied favouring any candidate and said it would comply with any Brazilian court order to treat all parties equally.
Lula is seeking a fourth term, while Bolsonaro, who led the first round on 4 October but fell short of the required 50% of valid votes, remains a contender for the runoff on Sunday. The petition also asks that Bolsonaro be barred from standing for election for eight years after the 2026 election.