Rio de Janeiro Electoral Court Seeks Federal Forces and Bars Crime‑Linked Candidates for 2026 Election

The president of the Rio de Janeiro Regional Electoral Court (TRE‑RJ), Judge Cláudio de Mello Tavares, warned political parties that any candidate with ties to drug trafficking, militias or organized crime will be rigorously scrutinised and will not be approved for the 2026 elections. He said the court will use intelligence reports from the civil, military and federal police, reviewed by the Electoral Public Prosecutor, to reject such candidacies, adding “Se passar pelos senhores, certamente não vai passar por aqui”.

TRE‑RJ also approved a unanimous request to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for federal security forces to assist in the October 2026 elections, citing a “structural phenomenon” of armed criminal control over territories, especially in the metropolitan area. The request, backed by interim governor Ricardo Couto, will be forwarded to the TSE for final approval. The court created the Gabinete Extraordinário de Segurança Institucional (Gaesi) to coordinate municipal, state and federal security agencies, relocate polling stations in high‑risk zones and share intelligence to protect the vote. As Tavares put it, “Não se trata de risco difuso ou pontual de tumulto, mas de fenômeno estrutural”.