TSE orders suspension of pro-Lula WhatsApp channel over disinformation

Supreme Electoral Court President Nunes Marques ordered the suspension of the WhatsApp channel "Exército do Lula" on Sunday after the campaign of presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro (PL) accused its administrator, federal deputy André Janones (Rede-MG), of coordinating mass disinformation against Bolsonaro. Meta must block new posts and followers within three hours of notification, under penalty of a fine, and the suspension lasts until the second-round result is certified on October 25.

Janones created the channel independently of the official Lula campaign. It grew from roughly 55,000 followers on October 5 to 3.2 million by October 10, according to the TSE ruling. The court found the structure was used to distribute content and instruct followers to replicate messages across other platforms, including posts already deemed false by electoral justice.

“Freedom of expression is not a safe-conduct for electoral crime, and parity of arms between candidates does not survive the conversion of a communication tool into an instrument of mass disinformation on the eve of the election.”

Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign petitioned the TSE on Saturday, alleging the channel spread false claims that Bolsonaro intended to remove Our Lady of Aparecida as Brazil's patron saint, had militia ties, and planned cuts to pensions and welfare benefits. The campaign also argued Meta failed to honor commitments to combat electoral disinformation despite numerous reports.

Janones reacted on social media warning the channel could be taken down within hours. In a recorded message cited by the court, he told followers to "leave your elitism and intellectual arrogance aside and behave like robots" to amplify the same narrative. The ruling states freedom of expression does not shield coordinated electoral disinformation.