Ex-Ministers Accused of Blocking Voters in Brazil's 2022 Election

Brazil's federal police have accused former justice minister Anderson Torres and ex-chief of Federal Highway Police Silvinei Vasques of blocking voters in a Bolsonaro opposition region during the 2022 election. These charges reflect ongoing investigations into alleged efforts to disrupt the transfer of power.

Brazil's federal police formally accused the country's former justice minister, who served under ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, of orchestrating efforts to block voters in opposition strongholds from reaching polling stations during the 2022 presidential election, sources confirmed to Reuters on Friday.

Former minister Anderson Torres and ex-chief of Brazil's Federal Highway Police Silvinei Vasques are among those accused of political violence, according to a source. Local news outlet g1 first reported the political violence charges.

In the 2022 election, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly won against Bolsonaro. On election day, numerous reports surfaced that the Federal Highway Police had illegally obstructed roads in Lula-supporting regions in the northeast, raising concerns of voter suppression potentially favoring Bolsonaro.

The charges against Torres and Vasques are part of broader allegations of attempts to disrupt the transfer of power both before and after the 2022 vote. Post-election, both men were jailed for their alleged roles in an attack on the Supreme Court, Congress, and the presidential palace by right-wing protesters contesting the election outcome. Bolsonaro, who will be barred from office until 2030 for disseminating election falsehoods, is also implicated in attempts to undermine election integrity.

Torres' legal representatives stated they would withhold comment pending access to the police decision. Vasques' legal defense expressed confidence, asserting that the charges against him do not align with the cited law.

(With inputs from agencies.)