OMM Redaksiyası
Brazil’s Federal Police are investigating possible US interference in the country’s presidential election, the agency’s director general said on Sunday as voting began nationwide.
“This is an investigation underway, a preliminary procedure. The inquiry has not yet been formally published, but we already have an investigation in progress,” Andrei Rodrigues told reporters in Brasilia.
The case has been referred to the Federal Police Intelligence Directorate for analysis. The Attorney General’s Office requested an inquiry into possible foreign interference in Brazil’s electoral process, Agência Brasil reported.
The request cited a report by British newspaper The Guardian alleging that US government funds were redirected to networks and organisations in Brazil. According to the government filing, the funds were allegedly used to influence political debate and “destabilise and attack the institutional framework of Brazil’s judiciary.”
Voting takes place amid tight race
The investigation came as Brazilians voted in a closely watched presidential contest between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Both candidates cast their ballots during the first hours of voting.
Lula voted in São Bernardo do Campo, in São Paulo state, at about 9:15 a.m. local time (12:15 GMT), accompanied by Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and political allies. He said he was confident of a high turnout and victory.
Flávio Bolsonaro voted in Rio de Janeiro shortly after polls opened. He also predicted a first-round win, saying he wanted to “restore to Brazilian families the right to dream again.”
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. Brasilia time and were scheduled to close at 5 p.m. Nearly 159 million voters were eligible to take part in the first round, according to Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court, known as the TSE.
Polls point to possible runoff
A Datafolha poll published on Saturday put Lula on 45% and Flávio Bolsonaro on 42% of valid votes. Neither candidate was above the 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff.
The Organization of American States’ election observation mission said voting was proceeding smoothly and under adequate security conditions. Federal Police said 48 people had been detained over suspected electoral offences, including alleged vote-buying and irregular campaigning.
Authorities also reported technical problems involving electronic voting machines. In the southern state of Santa Catarina, the regional electoral court recorded 99 incidents during the morning, and 46 machines were replaced with backup units.
Rodrigues said police had found no concrete evidence of a threat to diplomatic missions after the US and Australian embassies temporarily suspended consular services on Friday for security reasons. He said the information gathered had not pointed to a specific risk or identified plan.
Partial counts of votes cast abroad had begun in time zones where voting had ended. Nearly 919,000 Brazilians are registered to vote outside the country.
The TSE said counting would begin at 5 p.m. Brasilia time, with results released progressively as records from voting machines were received and processed. If no candidate wins more than half of valid votes, a runoff will be held on October 25.
Voters are also choosing governors, senators, members of the Chamber of Deputies and state or district lawmakers.
