SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s electoral authority said Monday that it has for the first time invited European Union representatives to observe upcoming elections.
It said the invitation to the EU aims “to amplify the transparency of its electoral system and make cooperation possible.”
The EU’s office in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press.
The electoral authority said talks were also underway with other groups that have previously observed Brazilian elections, including the Organization of American States and the Community of Portuguese Language Countries. It also invited the Carter Center, among others.
President Jair Bolsonaro, who will seek reelection in the October elections, has repeatedly accused members of the electoral authority of favoring his rival, former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He has also insisted the country’s electronic voting system is unreliable.
The president, who is largely trailing da Silva in the polls, has never provided evidence for his claims, which have been repeatedly disputed.
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