TSE President Kassio Nunes Marques Faces Criticism Over Alleged Alignment With Flávio Bolsonaro

President of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) Kassio Nunes Marques is facing internal criticism from ministers and technicians of the TSE and the Supreme Federal Court (STF) over alleged alignment with the legal strategies of Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. Critics point to decisions such as the censorship of a poll showing a drop in the senator's voting intentions and initial signals of agreement regarding the legality of a deepfake video of Jair Bolsonaro used at a PL convention. In response, Nunes Marques has denied favoring the senator and has promised neutrality to Lula to distance himself from the Bolsonaro group that nominated him to the STF in 2020.

The controversy has sparked a debate over the use of artificial intelligence in campaigns. Nunes Marques previously stated that using AI for campaigning is lawful as long as it is not used to harm others. This concept of beneficial AI is supported by Flávio Bolsonaro's campaign, while the TSE generally prohibits deepfakes regardless of whether they are used for positive or negative purposes. Allies of the minister suggest he will ultimately oppose deepfakes when the plenary judges the case next week.

Internal tensions have also emerged involving STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who suggested that the deepfake case could lead to the ineligibility of Flávio Bolsonaro. Some TSE members viewed this as an interference by the STF in electoral court matters. Additionally, Nunes Marques' proposal for a seal of accuracy for polling institutes has been criticized by two ministers who argue such measures could delegitimize the electoral process. Conversely, an interlocutor for Flávio Bolsonaro noted that the minister has not always ruled in the campaign's favor, citing the refusal to block publicity regarding the end of the 6x1 work scale.