Brazil's Federal Police have opened a formal investigation into suspected foreign funding in the presidential campaign of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, who fled the country after losing the election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party.
Justice Flávio Dino of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court, the Supremo Tribunal Federal, ordered the inquiry after finding signs that money from the United States benefited the candidacy of the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. According to the court order, the suspected contributions came through the American technology company Meta and the conservative organisation Rockbridge Network.
In a ruling dated October, Dino pointed to growing signs of foreign interference in Brazil's electoral process. He argued in that decision that barring outside interference is a direct requirement of national sovereignty.
Dino also pointed out that Brazil's Constitution bans political parties from receiving money from foreign governments or entities, and prohibits parties from being subordinated to foreign organisations.
Rare earths and foreign campaign funding rules
In his ruling, Dino said investigators needed to clarify a possible link between electoral support for Bolsonaro and the economic interest of foreign actors in Brazilian rare earths and critical minerals.
Rare earths and critical minerals are raw materials needed to manufacture electronics, electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy systems and defence equipment. Brazil holds some of the world's largest reserves of these minerals. Meta is the United States technology company that owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, while Rockbridge Network is an American conservative political donor group.
Flávio Bolsonaro is a senator for the state of Rio de Janeiro from the Liberal Party, known in Brazil as the Partido Liberal, and is the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Lula leads the governing Workers' Party, or Partido dos Trabalhadores.
The Supreme Federal Court is the highest court in Brazil and oversees inquiries involving federal lawmakers. The Federal Police, known as the Polícia Federal, act as the country's national law enforcement agency and carry out formal investigations ordered by the court.
