Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s party plans to file a complaint against Meta with the Organisation of American States (OAS), accusing the technology company of interfering in the country’s presidential election by restricting the reach and visibility of his campaign content ahead of an October 25 run-off.
The complaint follows allegations by Lula’s campaign that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, prevented the president’s Instagram profile from promoting posts and interrupted view counts on an official post, reducing its reach. Meta’s Brazilian office has rejected the allegations, describing them as “simply false” and “not supported by the facts”.
Eden Valadares, the party’s communications secretary, told reporters on Wednesday that it was time to raise the matter internationally, beginning with the OAS. He said Lula himself had ordered the move.
The president’s campaign also alleged that the Instagram profiles of Lula and other left-wing leaders had suddenly disappeared from the platform’s search function before last Sunday’s first round of voting. The campaign said the alleged restrictions had affected its ability to communicate with voters through social media.
Lula, who is seeking a fourth non-consecutive presidential term, faces Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro, in the October 25 run-off. Flávio Bolsonaro finished ahead of Lula in the first round, according to the campaign account, setting up a closely watched contest between the incumbent left-wing leader and his conservative rival.
The dispute over Meta’s platforms has added another point of contention to the election campaign, with Lula’s team seeking an explanation for the alleged restrictions while the company denies wrongdoing.
Lula’s campaign has called a meeting with international election observers for Thursday to discuss the accusations. The meeting is intended to bring the alleged interference to the attention of observers as the candidates prepare for the decisive second round.
The president has also accused the United States of attempting to influence Brazil’s election in favour of Flávio Bolsonaro. His claims centre in part on the relationship between the Bolsonaro family and US President Donald Trump, an ally of the former Brazilian president.
Following the first round, Lula launched a renewed social media campaign featuring videos in which he addresses his online followers. The push comes despite the president’s reported lack of personal use of a mobile phone, with his campaign relying on digital platforms to distribute his messages.
The allegations against Meta remain disputed, and no independent findings establishing election interference were cited in the campaign’s announcement. Meta’s Brazilian office maintains that the accusations are unsupported by the facts, while Lula’s party intends to pursue the complaint before the OAS.
