Flávio Bolsonaro questions reliability of Brazilian voting system

Flávio Bolsonaro, a right-wing presidential candidate, has cast doubt on the integrity of Brazil's electronic voting system, using arguments similar to those that resulted in his father's political disqualification. In a private meeting, Bolsonaro connected the electronic voting machines to the company Smartmatic and alleged electoral fraud in Venezuela, claiming his assertions were based on CIA documents.

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Many of the machines used in Brazilian elections come from that same Venezuelan company.

"Many of the machines used in Brazilian elections come from that same Venezuelan company," Bolsonaro stated during an event in Brasilia. He further asserted that Smartmatic is a Venezuelan company. However, Smartmatic is a multinational corporation founded by Venezuelans in the United States, which has provided services in Venezuelan elections. Bolsonaro added, "I am not questioning the Brazilian electoral system, but I ask that all countries send as many observers as possible to our elections" in October.

These declarations echo the actions of his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who in July 2022 convened ambassadors to attack the security of electronic voting machines without presenting evidence. That meeting, months before losing the election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, led the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) to declare Jair Bolsonaro ineligible for eight years in 2023 for "abuse of power" and disinformation.

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I am not questioning the Brazilian electoral system, but I ask that all countries send as many observers as possible to our elections.

The TSE has consistently labeled as "false" the narratives circulating on social media that Smartmatic supplies the voting machines or software used in Brazilian elections. According to a recent statement from the electoral body, the voting system employs proprietary and encrypted communication methods. In over two decades of operation, no manipulation or fraud has ever been proven. Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign team denied that the senator questioned the system's integrity, stating in a note to AFP that he merely recounted "public facts."

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