Brazilians Judges Confront Bolsonaro To Defend Electoral System

A group of 18 Brazilian judges defended on Monday the country's electoral system amid fraud allegations by president Jair Bolsonaro as he tries to reinstate the printed ballot ahead of next year's elections.

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"Brazil has eliminated a history of election fraud," the judges said in a statement, recalling that "the electronic voting system is subject to audits before, during and after the election."

teleSUR correspondent in Brazil Nacho Lemus reports that "on Sunday Bolsonarista groups asked in the streets for the return of the printed vote. Last week the president summoned the press to a collective in which he would demonstrate an alleged fraud in the 2014 elections but did not present any evidence."

Since 1988, all presidents of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal 1988 have signed a note defending the electronic ballot system. They considered that manual counting of votes with printed ballots would be a major contribution to fraud.

According to the specialists, Bolsonaro seeks to set a precedent and try to push a change in the electoral system or allege fraud not to recognize a defeat in the upcoming elections. Recent polls indicate his popularity is dropping alarmingly.