Brazil’s far-right candidate Bolsonaro accused of ‘campaign of slander and defamation’ on WhatsApp
• Leftist candidate Fernando Haddad says his rival used ‘illegal’ messages
• Monitors say there’s ‘a disinformation campaign similar and more sophisticated than in the US’
Allegations of a dirty tricks campaign on WhatsApp dominated Brazil’s presidential election race on Thursday, turning attention to social media manipulation following abuses uncovered in the US election and Britain’s Brexit referendum two years ago.
Trailing leftist candidate Fernando Haddad accused the far-right front runner, Jair Bolsonaro, of “illegal” electoral tactics after a report that companies were poised to unleash a flood of WhatsApp messages attacking him and his Workers Party.
Bolsonaro denied the allegation, tweeting that the Haddad’s Workers Party “isn’t being hurt by fake news, but by the TRUTH”.
The exchange happened 10 days before a run-off election that polls predict Bolsonaro – a bluff, internet-savvy, pro-gun polemicist often compared to US President Donald Trump – is likely to win comfortably.
Ordinary Brazilians said some in their families or entourage swallowed some misinformation from WhatsApp – but denied they themselves were being influenced.
“We get a lot of news, even false news, but some true, about politics but I don’t think it changes very much in terms of making decisions,” said Ana Clara Valle, a 27-year-old engineer in Rio.