Extension of voting hours in Brazil’s presidential runoff

◆3 sources

Brazil’s Supreme Court extended voting in the final round of the presidential election by two hours, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time. The decision followed requests from the campaigns of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, citing transport problems for voters, including bus disruptions in nine states and flooding in southern Brazil.

The electoral court temporarily suspended the processing and publication of interim results because of the extension. One report specifically said the court granted a request from Lula’s campaign team.

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Politics

Brazilian presidential runoff between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro

4 sources

Brazil voted in the decisive round of its presidential election, pitting incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva against Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio Bolsonaro was reported to be narrowly ahead after the first round and was described as slightly ahead as polling continued, although the race remained close. Both candidates made final appeals to voters at polling stations. Supporters of both camps gathered amid reported tension, while the result had not yet been announced.

Politics

Brazilian court orders Meta to treat presidential candidates equally

8 sources

A judge at Brazil’s electoral court ordered Meta to stop restricting the distribution of political or election-related content in a way that treats President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his rival Flávio Bolsonaro unequally. The order followed complaints by Lula’s campaign that his accounts and posts on Meta platforms were difficult to find or disappeared, while Bolsonaro’s were more visible. Meta denied favouring either candidate and attributed the problems to technical failures. The company faces a daily fine of 500,000 reais if it does not comply. A single report said Meta staff had acknowledged internally that restrictive measures had adversely affected Lula’s Instagram accounts. Lula and Bolsonaro remain candidates in the presidential runoff, and their first televised debate ended in personal exchanges and mutual accusations of lying and corruption.