Brazilian President Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro are neck-and-neck ahead of the Oct. 4 first-round vote, mobilizing supporters online. Lula’s WhatsApp groups send daily missions to more than 140,000 people; Bolsonaro’s platform reports over 50 million interactions.
Bolsonaro’s Direita Já initiative, launched in July, offers ready-made posts through a website and WhatsApp group. Its largest category includes around 200 items criticizing Lula’s Workers’ Party over public security, food prices and alleged corruption. AFP found that one video highlighting inconsistencies in a Lula statement was shared by more than 500 supporters.
The Lula and Bolsonaro campaigns filed complaints against each other at Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court, alleging attempts to evade election rules and coordinate negative campaigning. The cases are pending, and both campaigns say they comply with electoral law. Election lawyer Nahomi Helena de Santana said organized posting could be unlawful if it involved economic benefits or content containing disinformation or slander; she said organized networks could face greater punishment.
