Brazil's top court ordered police to investigate whether foreign money or other campaign support reached defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign, including possible links to a network co-founded by U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
Justice Flávio Dino of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) issued the order Oct. 27. He tasked the Federal Police with tracing reported contacts between Rockbridge Network and Brazilian businessmen Tallis Gomes and Pedro Sang, then determining whether those contacts led to campaign resources, services or other economic benefits being provided and used. The decision makes no determination that support was delivered or that anyone committed a crime.
Police are also to identify who, if anyone, paid for election-related content posted by foreign-based accounts. The inquiry will examine whether financing discussions were connected to foreign interests in Brazil's rare earths and critical minerals, and whether internet companies deliberately manipulated algorithms to favor or harm candidates.
The order came two days after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential runoff with 51.79% of valid votes, against Bolsonaro's 48.21%, according to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court. Brazil's Political Parties Law bars political parties from receiving direct or indirect contributions from foreign entities or governments, including money-valued assistance such as advertising.
Bolsonaro's travel is part of a separate case. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes barred him from leaving Brazil and ordered him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports within 24 hours in a money-laundering investigation involving Bolsonaro and lawyer Willer Tomaz. Agência Brasil reported that the Federal Police canceled the passports after he missed the deadline. Reuters later reported, citing an ally and a U.S. government source, that Bolsonaro had traveled to the United States.
The Washington Post reported that Rockbridge said the Brazilians involved had misrepresented their relationship with the network and created documents referring to it without its knowledge or consent. The STF said the reported information warranted police scrutiny but did not establish criminal conduct.
The Federal Police must report an inquiry number to the STF. Dino set no deadline for completing the investigation.
