# Brazil election legal battles

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/brazil-novo-party-election-legal-battles
> Updated: 2026-08-03T13:39:39.000Z. Sources: 62. Developments: 3.

Late July 2026 Brazilian courts began probing the Novo party’s campaign, questioning a second party convention and alleged astroturfing tied to a standardized endorsement video. The Regional Electoral Court of Rio Grande do Sul fined the Novo party and three pre‑candidates R$20,000 for premature billboard ads, while a Workers’ Party suit against MP Marcel Van Hattem was dismissed on parliamentary‑immunity grounds. On 28 July a Rio Grande do Norte judge reiterated concerns about the astroturfing video.

On 3 August the Novo Party filed a complaint with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) accusing President Lula and PT figures of illegal early‑campaign propaganda. The same day a Federal District Electoral Court upheld an AI‑generated satirical video as protected political criticism. TSE President Kassio Nunes Marques ordered the federal government to delete from official "Canal Gov" Instagram and X accounts any posts that give special prominence to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during the electoral deferral period, directing Meta and X to block such content within 24 hours. The confidential decree, issued while the judiciary was on recess, targets non‑journalistic material such as program‑delivery videos and benefit announcements, aiming to prevent use of public communication tools for personal promotion ahead of the 2026 elections.

The Court ruled that ride‑hailing vehicles are “common‑use” assets and may not display election propaganda, imposing fines up to R$30,000. It rejected a request to remove Senator Flávio Bolsonaro’s video linking the PT to criminal gangs, classifying it as protected political criticism. The TSE upheld fines for illegal donations and for propaganda displayed in a religious temple, confirming regional court penalties. These actions show the TSE’s simultaneous enforcement of pre‑campaign advertising limits and its balancing of free‑speech protections.

## Claims

- TSE president Kassio Nunes Marques ordered the federal government to remove from official channels any content that promotes the personal image of President Lula within 48 hours. (disputed by 4 sources)
- TSE ordered the federal government to remove from official channels any content that promotes President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's personal activity within 24 hours. (disputed by 2 sources)
- Minister André Mendonça denied a liminar request to remove a video posted by Senator Flávio Bolsonaro that associates the PT with the criminal organizations CV and PCC. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- Mendonça stated the video constitutes political criticism protected by freedom of expression and does not attribute a specific crime to the PT. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- The video was produced using artificial intelligence and depicts Flávio Bolsonaro piloting a military aircraft against vessels labeled CV, PCC and PT. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The TSE's decision is based on election law prohibiting institutional advertising in the three months before the election. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The order also directed Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and X to make such posts unavailable. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- TSE ruled that vehicles used for passenger transport by ride‑hailing apps are considered common‑use assets and may not display election propaganda; violations can incur fines up to R$30,000. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-03: Brazil's Electoral Court orders removal of pro‑Lula content from official channels

TSE president Kassio Nunes Marques ordered the federal government to delete from official channels any posts that overly promote President Lula, with platforms Facebook and X required to block them within 24 h.

57 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazils-novo-party-sues-over-lulas-early-campaign-ads-and-ai-video-ruling

### 2026-07-28: Brazilian courts fine Novo party for early campaign ads and reject PT lawsuit against MP Van Hattem

Brazilian courts fined the Novo party and its candidates R$20,000 for early campaign ads and rejected a PT lawsuit against MP Van Hattem, citing parliamentary immunity.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazilian-courts-fine-novo-party-for-early-campaign-ads-and-reject-pt-lawsuit-against-mp-van-hattem

### 2026-07-28: Brazilian election disputes over party conventions and campaign video tactics

Brazilian officials challenge a second party convention for alleged astroturfing and criticize ACM Neto’s generic campaign video, accusing it of isolating candidates.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazilian-election-disputes-over-party-conventions-and-campaign-video-tactics

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Cite as: Brazil election legal battles. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/brazil-novo-party-election-legal-battles