This combination of pictures created on Aug 16, 2022 shows Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro speaking during the launch of his re-election campaign on Aug 16, 2022, Brazilian presidential candidate for the leftist Workers Party and former President 2003 -- 2010 Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, giving a speech during the upcoming national elections on August 16, 2022. MIGUEL SCHINCARIOL, MAURO PIMENTEL AFP BRASILIA President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva'sLula da Silva's election team sued President Jair Bolsonaro, his running mate and two of his sons for abuse of power and attacks on Brazil's voting system, both during the October election campaign.
The two lawsuits filed in the electoral court want to ban the four men from running for office in the future. Bolsonaro and his vice-presidential candidate, Walter Braga Neto, narrowly lost the election.
Bolsonaro repeatedly criticized the country's electronic voting system, claiming that it was open to fraud, despite the fact that it was open to fraud.
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One lawsuit accused Bolsonaro, Braga Neto and two of the president's sons - Senator Flavio Bolsonaro and Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro - of interfering with the elections by attacking the electoral system and trying to build support for a military coup.
The second lawsuit accuses Bolsonaro of power abuse by illegally granting financial benefits to citizens during the campaign with the intent of gaining votes and influencing the choice of Brazilian voters, so as to harm the smoothness of the election. The president's office did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters couldn't reach the president's sons for comment.