Brazil electoral courts issue rulings on several 2026 candidates

Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and regional judges have issued several significant rulings affecting candidates ahead of the 2026 elections.

Regarding Flávio Bolsonaro, the TSE upheld a decision to remove over a thousand social media posts containing claims that the candidate intended to strip Nossa Senhora Aparecida of her title as the patron saint of Brazil. While the court agreed on the removal of many posts, ministers diverged on the scope of the measure, with some arguing that not all removed content constituted known falsehoods.

In Bahia, an electoral judge ordered ICL Notícias to remove a report concerning candidate ACM Neto within two hours. The judge ruled that the report, which cited a Federal Police report alleging Neto's involvement in transporting large sums of cash, transformed investigative hypotheses into definitive accusations and omitted the fact that the Supreme Court had previously denied a search warrant request against him.

Separately, the legal defense for Jamilson Name announced they are contesting an individual decision by a TSE minister regarding his candidacy. The controversy involves allegations of affiliation with a paramilitary organization, a claim the defense denies. The Regional Electoral Court of Mato Grosso do Sul had previously approved his candidacy, ruling that the evidence did not constitute a paramilitary apparatus.