Brazil's attorney general, Jorge Messias, has formally requested an investigation into an alleged United States government funding program that reportedly targeted the nation's Supreme Federal Court (STF) shortly before the presidential election. Messias stated that foreign political interests attempting to interfere in Brazilian institutions or influence the decisions of its voters "cannot be tolerated."
The call for an inquiry follows a report published by The Guardian, which indicated that the administration of US President Donald Trump planned to direct funds toward a campaign opposing the top court. According to the report, a $1 million grant was allocated to a project titled "Countering Lawfare and Censorship in Brazil," intended to support civil society groups that oppose judicial overreach and censorship by the court.
Describing the initiative as an "important alert for Brazilian sovereignty," Messias emphasized that the matter is particularly sensitive due to the ongoing electoral process. The attorney general's office has requested that federal prosecutors and the Federal Police examine the origin, destination, and purpose of these funds to determine if they constitute foreign interference in Brazil's political or electoral affairs.
The reported $1 million grant is allegedly part of a broader $175 million package from a US State Department human rights fund designated for projects worldwide. This development occurs against a backdrop of ongoing tensions between supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro and the Supreme Court, with Justice Alexandre de Moraes often at the center of the conflict. Bolsonaro was previously convicted of attempting to overturn the 2022 presidential election result and sentenced to 27 years in prison.
As Brazil prepares for the upcoming presidential election this Sunday, where President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seeking another term, the potential impact of such funding remains a point of concern. Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of the former president, is among the candidates in the race. To date, the United States has not publicly confirmed that the reported funding was intended to interfere in the Brazilian election.
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