Brazil court rejects Bolsonaro party complaint over vote
Brazil’s electoral court has rejected a challenge against the presidential election result made by the far-right party of President Jair Bolsonaro.
He narrowly lost to the leftist former leader, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and his Liberal Party (PL) claimed without evidence that voting machines were compromised.
The court said the complaint was made “in bad faith” and fined the party 22.9m reais (£3.5m; $4.3m).
Lula takes office on 1 January.
Superior Electoral Court (TSE) President Alexandre de Moraes said the PL complaint was “offensive to democratic norms” and had sought to “encourage criminal and anti-democratic movements”.
Lula’s victory – with 50.9% to Bolsonaro’s 49.1% – has been ratified by the TSE.
Bolsonaro has previously claimed that Brazil’s electronic voting system is not fraud-proof.
He has still not conceded defeat, but has given the go-ahead for a presidential transition. He stepped away from the public gaze after losing the election on 30 October.
Immediately after Lula’s win was declared, many lorry drivers supporting Bolsonaro erected roadblocks and there were scuffles with police. But Bolsonaro later told them that blocking roads was not a part of “legitimate” protests.
Some of his followers have continued demonstrating outside military barracks, urging a military intervention to prevent Lula from taking office.
Agencies