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Brazil political violence rises during 2026 election campaign
Reports from human rights organizations Terra de Direitos and Justiça Global, alongside data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), reveal a significant rise in political violence during Brazil’s 2026 election campaign. Between the start of the campaign and the first round, 134 cases of political violence were recorded, averaging one incident every nine hours. Of these, 70 victims were women (52.2%), and among candidates specifically, women accounted for 58.8% of the attacks.
Violence included threats, insults, physical aggression, and two murders of municipal representatives. The Disque 180 hotline recorded 1,564 reports of political violence against women between January and August 2026, with Black and mixed-race women representing over 53% of these reports.
Additionally, the Coalition for the Defense of Journalism (CDJor) reported that journalists and media outlets faced 14,182 attacks on X and Instagram during the first round. Female journalists were disproportionately targeted, accounting for 64.8% of attacks directed at individual professionals.
Entities
Ana Elisa · Ana Elisa Santos Silva · Brazil · Coalizão em Defesa do Jornalismo · Justiça Global · Superior Electoral Court · Terra de Direitos · Tribunal Superior Eleitoral
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [DISPUTED] Political violence processes recorded by the TSE increased from 15 in 2022 to 177 in 2026. gazeta24h.com · portalacontecern.com.br · salvadornoticia.com · portaldiarioderondonia.com · imprensapublica.com.br · +19 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The recorded political violence included two murders of municipal representatives. imprensapublica.com.br · 98fmnatal.com.br
- [● 20 SOURCES] Women were victims in 70 of the 134 recorded political violence cases, representing 52.2%. gazeta24h.com · imprensapublica.com.br · portalacontecern.com.br · ubirataonline.com.br · 98fmnatal.com.br · +15 more
- [DISPUTED] 134 cases of political violence were recorded during the 2026 campaign until the first round. gazeta24h.com · imprensapublica.com.br · portalacontecern.com.br · ubirataonline.com.br · 98fmnatal.com.br · +15 more
- [● 20 SOURCES] Political violence occurred at a rate of one case every nine hours during the campaign. gazeta24h.com · imprensapublica.com.br · portalacontecern.com.br · ubirataonline.com.br · 98fmnatal.com.br · +15 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] The Disque 180 hotline recorded 1,564 reports of political violence against women between January and August 2026. gazeta24h.com · portalacontecern.com.br · salvadornoticia.com · jornalenoticias.com.br · mauaagora.com.br · +14 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Female journalists accounted for 64.8% of the attacks directed at individual professionals. portaldiarioderondonia.com · atitudeto.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · www.vivergoias.com.br
- [● 5 SOURCES] Journalists and media outlets faced 14,182 attacks on X and Instagram during the first round of the 2026 elections. portaldiarioderondonia.com · atitudeto.com.br · saobentoemfoco.com.br · www.vivergoias.com.br