Bolsonaro in Brazil contested the election loss, and filed a petition calling for the votes to be annulled

CNN
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Outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro He filed a petition with Brazilian election authorities formally challenging this year’s fiercely contested results presidential vote.

Bolsonaro narrowly lost a run-off last month to his left-wing rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silvabetter known as “Lola,” who is set to be inaugurated as president on January 1.

Since then, Bolsonaro has stopped openly acknowledging his loss, but has previously said he will “continue to carry out all the commandments of the constitution” – leading observers to believe he will cooperate with the transfer of power.

But in the petition filed on Tuesday, Bolsonaro and the leader of his right-wing Liberal Party claimed that some voting machines had malfunctioned and that any votes cast through them should be cancelled.

Citing an analysis by a company hired by Bolsonaro’s party, the complaint claims that removing those votes would give Bolsonaro a victory.

In response to Bolsonaro’s petition, electoral authorities said that because the same voting machines were used in the first round of the election, Bolsonaro and his party should amend their complaint to include those results in order for the process to make its way through the courts, according to CNN. You mentioned Brazil.

Alexandre Moraes, the president of the Supreme Court of Elections, gave Bolsonaro and the petitioners 24 hours to amend their application.

But on Wednesday, Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party hit back, demanding that the scope remain limited to the second round of voting.

Liberal Party officials also held a press conference doubling down on claims that some of the ballot papers used in the second round of the election might be subject to error, but claiming they did not aim to challenge the results.

We do not intend to prevent anyone from taking office, only that they follow the law. If there are indications [of error]”This ballot cannot be taken into account,” said Liberal Party President Waldemar Costa Neto.

“We are not asking for new elections, that would be crazy,” he added.

Last month’s heated election came amid a tense and polarized political climate in Brazil, which is grappling with soaring inflation, limited growth and rising poverty.

Lula da Silva polled more than 60 million votes – according to the final tally of the electoral authority – the most in Brazilian history and breaking his own record since 2006.