On Tuesday, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s campaign team petitioned to disqualify right-wing rival Flávio Bolsonaro from the upcoming presidential runoff over alleged election interference by tech giant Meta, france24.com reported. The high-stakes legal move targets the son of jailed former leader Jair Bolsonaro as the nation of 214 million people hurtles toward a decisive weekend vote.
Brazil's Electoral Court Threatens Meta with Daily Fines
The petition, first revealed by the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo, heads directly to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE). It centers on what Lula’s camp calls algorithmic manipulation designed to sink the incumbent’s reelection bid. Meta executives and lawyers representing both presidential campaigns are scheduled to meet at the court on Tuesday.
The judicial pressure ramped up on Monday when the electoral tribunal gave Meta a strict 24-hour window to prove it was treating both political camps equally. The court threatened a steep daily fine of around $200,000 for non-compliance after Lula’s campaign accused the tech conglomerate—which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram—of suppressing online content to favor Bolsonaro.
Meta maintained its compliance ahead of the deadline. “We have completed the implementation of the measures to comply with the Superior Electoral Court’s decision,” the company stated on Tuesday.
Lula Campaign Claims WhatsApp AI Tools Limit Content
Friction between the left-wing campaign and Silicon Valley intensified over specific features on encrypted messaging platform WhatsApp. Lula’s team flagged alleged inconsistencies within the platform’s artificial intelligence tools, claiming that content related to the incumbent faced strict limits while posts supporting Bolsonaro remained untouched.
Meta has consistently denied favoring any political faction in the race, though the company previously acknowledged that technical glitches had mistakenly deactivated certain Lula campaign advertisements. Demonstrators showed the mounting tension on Monday by staging a protest outside Meta’s São Paulo offices, waving placards and chanting slogans such as "Meta out of Brazil."
Geopolitical Stakes and the Shadow of Jair Bolsonaro
The bitter domestic clash arrives at a volatile moment for Brazil. In the first round of voting earlier this month, Flávio Bolsonaro secured 47 percent of the vote compared to 45 percent for Lula, setting up a dead-heat runoff according to recent polls.
Lula, 80, has also leveled accusations against the American government, claiming external meddling on behalf of his 45-year-old opponent. While US President Donald Trump has stopped short of an explicit endorsement, he publicly hailed Bolsonaro’s first-round performance as a “very, very big victory.”
The outcome on Sunday will determine whether Brazil remains a vital left-wing stronghold or shifts firmly into an alignment of right-wing administrations loyal to Trump. Meanwhile, the legacy of the Bolsonaro family looms large over the contest: Jair Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence under house arrest for attempting a coup following his electoral defeat to Lula in 2022. Flávio Bolsonaro has made freeing his father a central pledge of his campaign.
