Bolsonaro responds to Electoral Court, saying he does not accept “intimidation”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro responded today to the Brazilian Electoral Court (TSE) petition to investigate his expressed doubts about the security of electronic voting, saying he does not accept “intimidation.”

Luis Roberto Barroso, President of the TSE, and Jair Bolsonaro, President of the Republic, have crossed swords verbally dozens of times before. Their dispute is seemingly personal in nature and is affecting the whole country, including investors who are increasingly suspicious of the political fallout.

Barroso, the president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), announced on Monday, with the approval of the entire court, that he would initiate “administrative” proceedings against the Brazilian president because he questioned the credibility of the electronic electoral system.

“Barroso is doing a disservice to the nation” and trying to “impose his will,” Bolsonaro said of the judge, who is also a Justice of the Federal Supreme Court (STF). The TSE has also just asked the STF to include the president in an investigation into the spread of false news and “attacks” on democratic institutions.

The root of the conflict lies in Bolsonaro’s repeated questioning of the credibility of electronic ballot boxes, which the country introduced in 1996. At the time, most believed the new system would put an end to electoral fraud.

For critics, what was good in 1996 may be questioned in 2021. They point out that hacking attacks are booming, and digital manipulation is common. The TSE has pointed out, however, that electronic ballot boxes are not connected to the internet, so hacking is impossible.

Bolsonaro says he wants to add another layer of security to the system so that, in case of doubt, the digital ballot results can be checked by analog means.

The president has therefore proposed a constitutional amendment that is currently being discussed in Congress. There are proposals to introduce either the old system of printed ballots, or a modification of the electronic voting system to add an analog physical “receipt” of the vote that could be counted.

The proposal is to have the new system in place for the November 2022 general elections, which will elect state and federal legislative and executive  .

Nevertheless, eleven parties represented in Congress, including several from the government base, have come out if favor of keeping the existing purely electronic system, arguing that not a single case of fraud has been proven since its introduction.

Faced with the TSE decision to investigate his conduct, Bolsonaro warned that he would continue to “exercise the right of citizens, freedom of expression and criticism, and above all listen to the will of the people,” who he said wanted to vote with auditable ballots.

“I have sworn to give my life for the homeland” and “I will not be intimidated,” he added, raising his voice before a small group of supporters.