Brazil 2022 elections: Government rejects EU observation mission

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Brazilian government today rejected the presence of a European Union (EU) mission to observe the October elections after the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) extended an invitation to the EU.

Brazilians will go to the polls to elect the president of the republic, state governors, senators, and deputies at the federal, state, and district levels.

Other international missions have already participated in the electoral process as observers.

In 2020, for example, the Organization of American States (OAS) Election Observation Mission accompanied the local elections.

The administration of TSE President Edson Fachin believes it is important to involve the foreign community in the upcoming vote.

Parties and media denounce that the Brazilian electoral system is the target of constant criticism by patriotic leader Jair Bolsonaro and his allies, who point out possible fraud and weaknesses in the electronic ballot boxes.

In a note, the State Department points out that it is not customary for Brazil to be assessed by an international organization to which it does not belong.

It points out that, unlike the OAS and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, for example, the EU does not send election missions to its own member states.

Regarding the news that international organizations are sending electoral missions to the country, the Foreign Ministry clarifies that it has an ongoing dialogue with the TSE.

This year, it says, “the dialogue is focused on organizing electoral sections for some 600,000 registered voters abroad, as well as sending observation missions for the 2022 parliamentary elections.”

In addition to the EU, the TSE had invited delegations from the Mercosur Common Market Parliament, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and the Carter Center.

European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell thanked the Electoral Tribunal for the invitation.

He said he had to consult the 27 EU member states and the European Parliament.