Brazil: Defense Minister Investigated for Threats to Elections

On Wednesday, Attorney General Augusto Aras informed the Supreme Federal Court (STF) about the opening of a preliminary investigation against Defense Minister Walter Braga-Netto for possible threats against the 2022 presidential elections.

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In a document sent to Lower House President Arthur Lira in July, Braga-Netto threatened not to hold the elections if lawmakers do not approve President Jair Bolsonaro’s proposal related to the implementation of printed voting on electronic voting machines.

When that document was leaked to the public opinion, the Defense Minister denied having made any kind of threat, ratified that only Congress can decide on the printed vote, and swear that the Armed Forces are committed to Brazilian democracy.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bolsonaro continues to speak of electoral fraud, rejects electronic voting, and demands a return to printed voting.

“We need to approve a secure vote counting system in Brazil. Otherwise, it is susceptible to manipulation and fraud,” he said.

Although the Bolsonaro administration swears transparency in its actions, its popularity continues to decline due to the mismanagement of the economic and epidemiological crisis that affects millions of Brazilians, who will take to the streets on Saturday to demand the impeachment of the President.

On Sept. 17, the Datafolha company published an investigation on electoral preferences according to which 44 percent of Brazilians will support the Workers' Party (PT) leader Lula da Silva in the 2022 presidential elections. In contrast, only 26 percent of those interviewed would vote for Captain Bolsonaro.