Flavio Bolsonaro's campaign has filed a formal request with the Superior Electoral Court to annul Lula's candidacy, alleging abuse of power over the mass distribution of government materials via WhatsApp during the campaign period. The petition claims the government sent millions of Brazilians messages promoting social programmes and benefits, a move Bolsonaro's camp has framed as unlawful propaganda. The request seeks to bar Lula and Social Communications Minister Sidonio Palmeira from public office for eight years.
Lula's campaign, meanwhile, has announced its own plans to seek the disqualification of Bolsonaro. A campaign source told AFP that the petition, yet to be officially filed, would allege algorithmic manipulation by WhatsApp parent company Meta, claiming the tech giant is suppressing Lula's content to boost the right-wing candidate.
The legal manoeuvring comes amid an ongoing dispute over Meta's conduct in the election. The electoral court had given the company 24 hours on Monday to prove it was complying with an order to treat both campaigns equally, threatening a daily fine of around $200,000 for non-compliance. Meta stated on Tuesday that it had completed the necessary measures to abide by the court's ruling.
The race remains exceptionally tight. Bolsonaro secured 47 percent of the vote in the initial round earlier this month, with Lula taking 45 percent, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive runoff on Sunday.