The key facts

  • Lula's team demands the disqualification of Flavio Bolsonaro over alleged 'algorithmic manipulation' by Meta
  • The court gave Meta 24 hours to prove equal treatment of the campaigns under threat of a fine of about $200,000 per day
  • In the first round Bolsonaro won 47% against Lula's 45%; ahead of the runoff polls show a technical tie

Complaint to the Top Electoral Court

The campaign team of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will file a motion with the top electoral court (TSE) on Tuesday seeking the disqualification of candidate Flavio Bolsonaro. The grounds are alleged 'algorithmic manipulation' by Meta which, according to the team, was aimed at reducing Lula's chances of victory. A campaign source told AFP; the information was previously disclosed on Monday by the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.

Context of the Runoff

Lula, 80, is running for a fourth non-consecutive term. In the first round earlier this month, Flavio Bolsonaro, 45, the son of imprisoned former president Jair Bolsonaro, received 47% of the vote against 45% for the incumbent president. Polls ahead of Sunday's runoff show a technical tie. According to AFP, the unexpected first-round result mobilized the left: Lula's team is holding mass rallies and stepping up its social media efforts.

Claims Against Meta and the Company's Response

Lula's campaign claims that Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, boosted his online content in favor of Bolsonaro, and also pointed to inconsistencies in the operation of a WhatsApp AI tool: campaign content associated with Lula was allegedly restricted, while Bolsonaro's content was not. Meta denies any actions favoring either side, but previously acknowledged that some of Lula's campaign ads were mistakenly disabled due to technical glitches. On Monday the court gave the company 24 hours to prove compliance with the order on equal treatment of the campaigns, threatening a daily fine of about $200,000. On Tuesday Meta stated: 'We have completed the implementation of measures to comply with the top electoral court's ruling.' On Tuesday the TSE will host a meeting with Meta and lawyers from both campaigns.

Protests and Foreign Policy Context

On Monday dozens of Lula supporters protested outside Meta's office in Sao Paulo with placards and slogans such as 'Meta out of Brazil.' Lula has also accused the US government of interfering in the election in favor of Flavio Bolsonaro. Donald Trump has not yet officially endorsed Bolsonaro, but called his first-round result 'a very, very big victory.' The winner of the runoff will either keep Brazil, a country of 214 million people, as a left-wing stronghold in Latin America, or bring the country into the ranks of right-wing administrations loyal to Trump. Jair Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest for an attempted coup after his defeat to Lula in 2022; Flavio has vowed to free his father if he wins.