Sao Paulo, Brazil
CNN
—
Brazil’s electoral court chief on Wednesday rejected Jair Bolsonaro’s petition to void ballots from this year’s presidential election, calling some voting machines “ridiculously illegal” and “ostensibly democratic.” It condemned the president’s claim that it is conspiratorial to the rule of law.
Supreme Electoral Court President Alexandre Demorais said in his ruling that all models of electronic voting are “fully identifiable in a clear, secure and integrated manner.” He also ordered Bolsonaro’s right-wing Liberal Party to pay a fine of 22 million reais ($4.1 million) for a “bad faith lawsuit”.
Last month, Bolsonaro was narrowly defeated in the run-off by his left-wing rival Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, known as “Lula”, who is due to take office on January 1.
Since then, Bolsonaro has not come so far as to explicitly admit defeat, but previously said he would “continue to fulfill all the precepts of the constitution” and observers said he would cooperate with the transfer of power. I believe.
But in a petition filed Tuesday, Bolsonaro and his Liberal Party leader said some voting machines were out of order and that votes cast through them should be voided. claimed.
Citing analysis by a company hired by Bolsonaro’s party, the complaint argued that canceling those votes would result in a victory for Bolsonaro.
Election officials previously said the same voting machines were used in the first round of elections and the runoff.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Liberal MP Valdemar Costa Neto claimed that Bolsonaro’s party “only asked for a second round of verification.” [candidates] to be influenced. ”
Last month’s heated elections came amid a tense and polarized political climate in Brazil, which is plagued by high inflation, limited growth and rising poverty.
Lulada Silva received more than 60 million votes, according to the final tally of the electoral authorities, the most in Brazil’s history and a personal best since 2006.
