The attacks on Brazilian democracy which characterised this first round have only intensified in the interim. As the run-off campaign began, Meta once again barred President Lula from sponsoring content on its social media platforms for 24 hours. In September, Mark Zuckerberg's company briefly disabled ads on Lula’s Facebook page. This time, his Instagram was blocked while, on both occasions, Bolsonaro’s accounts were uninhibited.
In response to a complaint lodged by Lula’s campaign, Justice Marco Aurélio Bellizze of Brazil’s top electoral court ruled that the tech company must adopt measures to immediately secure equal treatment of the two presidential candidates. The President’s content, argued his lawyers, “faces delivery restrictions, without any justification or transparency”.
This conclusion was supported by more than 10 watchdogs and research groups who discovered “indications” that Meta had favoured the Bolsonaro campaign. The company’s own oversight board has now raised questions, stating it is “concerned by recurring enforcement failures in Meta’s election integrity efforts”.
The transparency of Meta’s interference emphasises the stakes of this election. Earlier this year, the Brazilian Intelligence Agency reportedly warned that US interference in Brazil had reached a “critical level” and, following the first-round result, Donald Trump hailed a “very, very big victory” for his preferred candidate.
That’s why the Progressive International is returning to Brazil. The Observatory is deploying a high-level delegation of parliamentarians and former ministers from across the hemisphere and beyond. Paying close attention to algorithmic manipulation, digital disinformation, and the conduct of online platforms, our mission seeks to ensure the Brazilian people can express their democratic will free from external manipulation. As President Lula says, “Brazil does not fit into anyone’s backyard.”
Welcoming Washington’s endorsement, Bolsonaro pledged that, if elected President, he would seek to slash taxes for the wealthy and cut public spending by 1.5% of GDP. Economists estimate this measure would wipe out 2.7% of Brazil’s GDP in the first year and 3.2% over two years. The Senator’s comments reinforced the sharply different political programmes of the two candidates.
On 15 October, President Lula’s government celebrated a historic victory for workers as Brazil's Congress established the 5-day working week, giving employees two days off without cutting their salary. This change represents the most radical overhaul to labour rights since the country’s return to democracy in 1988. "It means more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow up, look after yourself and enjoy life,” proclaimed President Lula.
Flavio Bolsonaro, who was once an outspoken opponent of shortening the working week, eventually supported the change as his campaign looked to escape mounting corruption allegations. On 16 October, 24 hours after the constitutional amendment passed, news broke that the Bolsonaro campaign had paid R$ 600,000 to a US tech company to manipulate the Brazilian elections. The cybersecurity company Elytron was contracted to spread misinformation, create fake social media accounts, and discredit Bolsonaro’s opponents.
Three days later, it was reported that a second investigation involving the
Presidential candidate had come under review by the Supreme Court. Federal Police allege that Bolsonaro, who is the son of the jailed former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro and has well-documented ties to members of Rio’s mafia underworld, was implicated in a money-laundering scheme relating to the use of sports betting platforms. From reactionary forces at home and abroad, Brazil’s hard-won democracy is under threat.
The Progressive International’s Observatory delegation will be on the ground to monitor and report on the integrity of the electoral process with full independence and rigour.
The stakes of Sunday’s vote extend far beyond Brazil’s borders. Faced with an emboldened Latin American right aided and abetted by the White House, this election will set the course for the region: Sovereignty or submission. Join us in our effort to safeguard against interference in Brazil — and support the delegation as we prepare to deploy.
