Brazil: Claims regarding military access to voting machine code are false

Claims circulating on WhatsApp alleging that the Brazilian Armed Forces were denied access to the source code of electronic voting machines during the 2022 General Elections are false.

During the 2022 elections, the Armed Forces were among the authorized entities permitted to inspect the source code and other electoral systems. Representatives from the military were received by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) on two occasions to participate in technical presentations and continue their analysis of the systems and the physical structure of the machines.

While the military was a credentialed inspecting institution in 2022, the TSE removed them from the list of authorized entities in 2023, determining that software inspection does not fall within the constitutional duties of the military. Current oversight is conducted by entities such as the Federal Police, the Public Prosecutor's Office, political parties, and various universities.