Rio Court Requests Federal Troops for Brazil Runoff

Rio de Janeiro’s regional electoral court voted unanimously on October 15 to request federal troops to support security during Brazil’s October 25 presidential runoff. The request, which still needs approval from the Superior Electoral Court, concerns the contest between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro. The regional court’s president, Judge Cláudio de Mello Tavares, said the security concerns cited before the first round remained. He described armed factions and militias as a continuing threat to free voting, according to his remarks in the court proceedings. The supplied reporting does not independently establish the extent of intimidation at polling places. The request covers patrols on major roads and assistance transporting voting machines across 15 cities, according to the court’s account. No troop numbers were specified. If the Superior Electoral Court approves the request, it would formally ask the Defence Ministry to send forces. The regional court’s vote is not final authorization for a deployment. The security request comes as polling shows a close race. A Datafolha survey conducted October 13 and 14 put Bolsonaro at 51% and Lula at...