In the latest showdown from Brazil ‘s increasingly rancorous presidential race Tuesday, both candidates called for the disqualification of their rivals over allegations of social media malfeasance, according to court filings and campaign officials.
Meta had denied taking any actions to favor one side in the election, but previously said that some of Lula’s campaign ads had been mistakenly deactivated due to technical errors. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s campaign said Tuesday they will request the disqualification of right-wing rival Flavio Bolsonaro on Wednesday over alleged election interference by tech giant Meta.
Flavio Bolsonaro received 47 percent of the vote over the incumbent’s 45 percent in the first round earlier this month, and polls show a technical tie ahead of Sunday’s runoff.
Lula’s petition was initially expected to be submitted Tuesday to Brazil’s top electoral court concerning alleged “algorithmic manipulation” by Meta aimed at harming Lula’s chances of winning, the campaign source said. But Lula’s campaign coordinator, Senator Camilo Santana, later told reporters the filing would occur Wednesday. Meta and lawyers from both campaigns met at the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) on Tuesday, a court source said.
