Key Facts
- Claim. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said big tech platforms tried to interfere in Brazil’s election.
- Evidence. Lula named no company and showed no evidence in the passage quoted.
- Court. Lula’s camp asked the electoral court (TSE) on 21 October to unseat rival Senator Flávio Bolsonaro over Meta; undecided.
- Agenda. He promised a Ministry of Public Security and reform of politics and the judiciary.
- US link. Meta, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and X (formerly Twitter) are US companies, so Brazilian rules touch them.
- Power Index. Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 74.2 points (November 2026 edition).
Brazil’s president has accused big tech, the largest US internet platforms, of trying to sway the country’s election. In a national address on Sunday 8 November 2026, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said platforms gave millions of views to false content.
He named no company and offered no evidence in the passage quoted here. The claim still matters in the United States, because the biggest platforms, such as Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram), Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and X (the social network formerly called Twitter), are American firms.
What Lula Said
Lula belongs to the Workers’ Party (PT), Brazil’s main left-wing party, and won a fourth term in the runoff on 25 October 2026. His rival was Senator Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL), a conservative party.
Speaking two weeks after the runoff, Lula thanked voters for the more than 64 million votes he said he received, his own figure. He then turned to the platforms.
“The so-called big techs tried to interfere in the Brazilian electoral process, giving millions of views to content with disinformation and fake news,” he said. He added: “The truth beat the lie.”
He promised to govern for all Brazilians. He also said Brazil should “build bridges instead of walls”.
Lula also called for political reform and for reform of the judiciary, saying Brazilian justice needs to recover its credibility. He said that, with the constitutional amendment on public security approved, he will send a provisional measure, a presidential decree with immediate force, creating a Ministry of Public Security.
What Is Behind the Claim
On 21 October Lula’s campaign asked the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), the body that runs elections and judges election disputes, to strip Flávio Bolsonaro of his candidacy. It alleged that Meta’s systems favoured his content, and we found no decision on it.
Lula made a similar accusation on election night, 25 October, saying foreign interference through digital platforms had to be overcome. Our earlier report on the interference case in two courts shows how that dispute reached the judges.
We found no court finding that Meta or any other platform interfered in the election, and the speech showed no evidence. Lula did not say which platforms he meant, so for now the claim is a political statement.
In Plain English
- Big tech means the largest internet platforms, most of them American.
- The TSE is Brazil’s electoral court, which certifies results and rules on campaign disputes.
- A provisional measure is a decree that takes effect at once while Congress reviews it.
Our report on Lula and the electoral court gives more background on the court’s role. The result itself is on the TSE results page.
What It Means for You
Meta and the other big platforms are US companies. Any Brazilian platform rule or electoral-court sanction would therefore touch US firms and US-Brazil relations.
The bill’s rapporteur, the lawmaker steering it through Congress, wants Congress to pass Brazil’s big tech competition bill by year-end. No floor date had been set as of 9 November, and Lula’s words may raise pressure for it, though that is our judgment and not a confirmed outcome.
Investors, travellers and expats can follow the wider story in our Brazil coverage. Watch for any TSE ruling on the 21 October request, a reply from Meta and a floor date for the bill in Congress.
What Is Not Known
We do not know which platforms Lula meant or what evidence he relies on. The passage we confirmed names no company and cites no data.
It is also not known whether the TSE will decide the 21 October request. Nor is it known whether Meta or other companies will respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Lula say about big tech?
He said big tech companies tried to interfere in Brazil’s election by giving millions of views to content with disinformation. He added that the truth beat the lie.
Did Lula name any company?
No, not in the passage we confirmed. His campaign named Meta in its 21 October court request, but Lula did not name it in this speech.
Has any court found interference by a platform?
We found no court finding of interference. On 21 October Lula’s campaign asked the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) to strip Flávio Bolsonaro of his candidacy, alleging Meta’s systems favoured his content; we found no decision on it.
Why does this matter to US readers?
Meta, Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and X (formerly Twitter) are US companies. Any Brazilian rule or court sanction could therefore affect them and US-Brazil relations.
Sources: Presidential address to the nation, 8 November 2026; Superior Electoral Court (TSE) results page.
In depth
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error
Brazil runoff, Sunday, October 25: Brazil runoff start time and results schedule. Latest: Brazil runoff polls, Flávio 51%, Lula 49%.