Lula seeks probe into possible US election interference

Lula’s coalition asked Brazil’s top electoral court to investigate actions benefiting Flávio Bolsonaro, while the Workers’ Party sought a Federal Police inquiry from the Supreme Court.RIO DE JANEIRO (CN) — President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s coalition asked Brazil’s top electoral court to investigate possible U.S. interference aimed at helping presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and Lula’s main rival in the race. The first round of Brazil’s presidential election is Oct. 4.In the lawsuit filed Wednesday, Lula’s coalition accused Bolsonaro, his running mate Alfredo Gaspar and his brother Eduardo Bolsonaro of abusing political and economic power and improperly using the media. Eduardo Bolsonaro is a former congressman who lives in the United States.The coalition asked the court to revoke the ticket’s registration or remove Bolsonaro and Gaspar from office if they win. It also asked the court to bar Flávio and Eduardo Bolsonaro from running for office for eight years.Justice Ricardo Villas Bôas Cueva, the electoral court’s inspector general, was assigned the case. He had not ruled as of Thursday.In the 117-page filing, Lula’s coalition said Flávio and Eduardo Bolsonaro pushed the Trump administration to impose tariffs and sanctions on Brazil, then used them to their advantage in the campaign.Lula asked the court to investigate possible support from the Rockbridge Network, a conservative U.S. donor network co-founded by Vice President JD Vance. It said a political organizer tied to the group works at Flávio Bolsonaro’s campaign headquarters in São Paulo.Fernando Neisser, a lawyer and member of Brazil’s Electoral and Political Law Academy, said the court could begin gathering evidence but is unlikely to decide the case before voting begins.“A ruling before the election is not realistic. This is not a situation in which the campaign would be suspended or the candidate removed from the race,” he said.If the Superior Electoral Court later finds evidence of a serious foreign contribution, Bolsonaro could lose office if elected. Those involved could also be barred from running for office for eight years, whether or not they were elected.“Direct or indirect foreign contributions are prohibited in Brazilian election campaigns,” Neisser said.In a separate filing, Lula’s Workers’ Party asked Brazil’s Supreme Court to order a Federal Police investigation into possible foreign interference. The party submitted the request in an existing case before Justice Flávio Dino.The Workers’ Party pointed to paid posts promoting Flávio Bolsonaro on X by accounts based outside Brazil.The party asked Dino to clarify that a 2025 ruling barring certain foreign government actions from taking effect in Brazil also covers the electoral process, including actions carried out through digital platforms and financial institutions.Fábio de Sá e Silva, an associate professor of international studies at the University of Oklahoma, said Brazilians are closely watching possible efforts by the Trump administration and the MAGA movement to influence the election. Local allies could face penalties for violating Brazilian law, he added.“Politically, the Workers’ Party is once again positioning itself as a defender of sovereignty, an issue that boosted Lula in the polls when the tariffs were imposed,” he said.A day before the filings, Lula warned against foreign interference in Brazil’s election in an address to the U.N. General Assembly.“Brazil is no one’s backyard,” he said.Courthouse News reporter Marília Marasciulo is based in Brazil.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads