Manaus authorities arrest individuals for suspected election fraud

Authorities in Manaus have arrested two individuals in separate incidents involving suspected electoral irregularities ahead of the 2026 elections.

A 39-year-old personal trainer was caught by the Federal Police in possession of R$ 70.8 thousand in cash, campaign materials for state deputy candidates Dr. Eduardo Assis and Adail Filho, and contact lists. Investigators believe the funds and documents may have been intended for the distribution of advantages in exchange for votes. A 22-year-old student was also detained during the stop but was later released.

In a separate case, the Civil Police arrested a woman suspected of using false identities to attempt to vote multiple times for the same candidate. The suspect was apprehended while attempting to obtain a duplicate national identity card using a false name. Investigations are ongoing to determine if the fraudulent documents were also used to illicitly obtain social security benefits.