2022 Race

Military linked to the government sought anti-voting data

voting system President Jair Bolsonaro alongside his chief security officer, Augusto Heleno, and Vice President Hamilton Mourão. Photo: Valter Campanato/ABr
President Jair Bolsonaro alongside his chief security officer, Augusto Heleno, and Vice President Hamilton Mourão. Photo: Valter Campanato/ABr

Sealed police reports leaked to newspaper Folha de S.Paulo show that government agencies were used in President Jair Bolsonaro’s push to discredit the electoral system. As early as 2019, Secretary-General Luiz Eduardo Ramos and the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) actively sought information about fraud in electronic voting machines.

Even before — but especially since — taking office as president, Mr. Bolsonaro has constantly tried to sow doubt over the security of electronic voting systems, which have never faced credible fraud allegations in nearly three decades. 

Electoral courts tried to put out the president’s movement by asking the military to join a transparency committee but, as we showed in today’s Brazil Daily newsletter, the move backfired. 

High-ranking officers have instead pandered to Mr. Bolsonaro and presented dozens of questions about the system, without actually pointing out real vulnerabilities.