Lula Says Court Has His Card, Flight Data
BRAZIL · ELECTIONS
Published Friday, 23 October, 5:25 p.m. ET · Source: Poder360, Metrópoles, CNN Brasil
Key Facts
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Lula’s presidential campaign said on Friday 23 October that it has handed Brazil’s electoral court (TSE) records of the government corporate card, the president’s agenda and Air Force (FAB) flights, Poder360 reported. The papers were filed on Thursday night, according to CNN Brasil and Metrópoles, two days before the runoff.
The campaign also signed waivers that let the court look at bank, tax and phone records of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president, and his family. The Brazil election 2026 pits Lula against Flávio Bolsonaro, the conservative senator for Rio de Janeiro.
What Lula’s Campaign Says It Delivered
Poder360 lists the corporate card of the Presidency, the agenda of first lady Janja Lula da Silva, the president’s own commitments and FAB flight records. CNN Brasil says the campaign handed over “all data to which it has access.”
Metrópoles reports that the campaign also asked the TSE to act as a neutral referee. It wants “integral, simultaneous and reliable disclosure” of both candidates’ data, it said.
Edinho Silva, president of Lula’s Workers’ Party (PT), said data offered without arbitration or validation weakens its credibility with society, Metrópoles reported. The court had not published the documents when those reports appeared.
How the Records Fight Began
Lula challenged his rival during the Band television debate on Sunday 18 October, and Flávio accepted. Flávio then added conditions, including the card spending, Janja’s agenda and the secrecy of Lula’s former chief of staff, Metrópoles reported.
Justice André Mendonça of the TSE ruled that candidates may publish their own data without a judge. Lula’s side asked him to reverse that, and our earlier report on the request to reconsider has the detail.
CNN Brasil says Flávio’s campaign filed only authorizations and disputes what Lula’s side actually delivered. It adds that Mendonça would have to request the data from the central bank, banks, the tax authority and phone firms, with no timeline given.
What It Means for US Readers
Brazil is Latin America’s largest economy, and its next president will set its stance on trade and investment. Court fights in the final days can move Brazilian shares, bonds and the real, including US-listed Brazilian stocks.
The dispute does not change the vote itself. It decides whether voters see both candidates’ records before Sunday.
Our Brazil election polls tracker lists every survey.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Kalshi, a prediction market regulated in the US by the CFTC, traders price a Flávio Bolsonaro win by at least 1 point at 76% and a Lula win by at least 1 point at 16% (23 October, 5:21 p.m. ET). The margin contracts have traded about 35,000 and 45,000 contracts.
These are bets, not polls, and they can move fast on new surveys. Our Brazil election odds page tracks Polymarket and Kalshi.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
Prediction markets · who wins the runoff
Implied chance of winning Brazil’s presidency on 25 October, from traders’ prices.
Polymarket
Flávio Bolsonaro 75.8% · Lula 23.5% (US$193 million traded)
Kalshi (regulated in the US by the CFTC)
Flávio Bolsonaro 75% · Lula 25%
As of 23 October, 5:20 pm ET (22:20 Lisbon), updated every 20 minutes. Prices are bets, not polls, and can move fast.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether Mendonça will order the data collected, or whether the full TSE bench will step in before Sunday. We could not verify the documents themselves, which the court has not released.
The filing was made on Thursday night, while the campaign’s public statement came on Friday. This report covers the legal dispute only, not any claim about either candidate’s finances.
More: Brazil news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Lula’s campaign give the electoral court?
It says it delivered corporate-card records, the first lady’s agenda, flight records and waivers for bank, tax and phone data. The court has not published them.
Why is Flávio Bolsonaro’s side unhappy?
It disputes what Lula’s campaign actually delivered, CNN Brasil reports. It filed only authorizations of its own and set conditions for opening its records.
Will voters see the records before the runoff?
That is not clear. The court would first have to request the data from banks, the tax authority and phone firms.
When is Brazil’s runoff?
Brazilians vote on Sunday 25 October. The runoff is between President Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro.
Sources: Poder360, 23 October 2026; Metrópoles, 22 October 2026; CNN Brasil, 23 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief