After years of attacking Brazil's voting system as susceptible to fraud, President Jair Bolsonaro ignored a Monday deadline from the nation's electoral court to present proof of his claims. And the election authority, in turn, adopted its strongest measures yet aimed at preventing Bolsonaro from chipping away at faith in the nation's upcoming election. According to two of Bolsonaro's ministers, his administration considered turning over a compilation of videos and documents, most of which the far-right president already exhibited publicly on July 29 and the court that oversees and administers elections has debunked. Bolsonaro has alleged that Brazil's electronic voting system isn't reliable and makes it impossible to audit results. As such, he has backed a constitutional amendment that would make a printed receipt of each vote visible to the voter before being deposited in a sealed container for subsequent review, if necessary. Analysts have expressed concern tht Bolsonaro, trailing in opinion polls ahead of his 2022 reelection bid, will follow the example of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who goaded supporters to dispute his loss. The electoral court fact-checked Bolsonaro live on its social media channels that evening and, on Monday it published a letter signed by 15 former presidents, plus the current president and its incoming chief, who denied any fraud since the electronic system's implementation started in 1996. In Rio de Janeiro, thousands gathered beside Copacabana beach chanting and holding signs like "AUDITABLE VOTE NOW!" A plane flew low overhead with the same demand on a trailing banner. Photos by AP
