Brazilian authorities are taking new steps to prevent candidates suspected of having ties to organized crime from appearing on the ballot in October’s general election, an effort that experts describe as an unusually broad intervention aimed at protecting the electoral process from criminal groups.

The campaign has also raised concerns about due process because some candidates targeted by prosecutors have not been convicted of crimes. Critics and affected candidates argue that electoral authorities may be extending existing laws beyond their traditional limits.

Clebio Lopes Jacare, a center-right congressional candidate whose candidacy was challenged over allegations that he belongs to a criminal organization, said political or judicial interference in elections could threaten democratic voting. He has emphasized that authorities have not convicted him of any crime.

Brazilian courts have previously barred major political figures from running for office based on criminal convictions. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was prevented from competing in the 2018 presidential election after a conviction that was later annulled, while former President Jair Bolsonaro has been barred from this year’s race. Both have argued that legal actions against them were politically motivated.

Prosecutors are now relying on a broader interpretation of electoral law, arguing that authorities should be able to challenge candidates suspected of criminal connections before a criminal conviction is reached. A 2024 ruling by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court established a precedent for using evidence of alleged criminal links when evaluating candidacies.

The ruling drew on a constitutional provision stating that political parties cannot make use of paramilitary groups. Electoral authorities have argued that organized crime should not be allowed to use elections to turn territorial or armed influence into political power.

The issue is particularly significant in Rio de Janeiro, where organized crime has established influence in several communities. Officials are investigating whether political campaigns received money from criminal organizations and have relocated some polling stations from areas controlled by gangs.

Claudio de Mello Tavares, head of the electoral court’s office in Rio de Janeiro state, said some polling locations presented security concerns, including sites where voting equipment must be transported in armored vehicles.

Among the candidates barred this year are two relatives of leaders of the Red Command criminal organization, a candidate facing charges in three murder cases and a man convicted of illegal firearms possession who received a 36-year prison sentence but remains able to appeal.

However, prosecutors have also sought to block candidates for whom authorities have not established known links to armed criminal groups. Jacare, for example, has faced charges including embezzlement and other offenses.

Prosecutors argued that the democratic process must be protected from attempts by organized crime to influence elections, whether through armed groups or other forms of criminal activity.

The measures have prompted debate over how electoral authorities should distinguish between legitimate efforts to prevent criminal infiltration and actions that could improperly exclude candidates.

Ney Santos, a congressional candidate whose candidacy was challenged over alleged ties to the First Capital Command crime syndicate, questioned the approach in a video posted on Instagram. He argued that being involved in a legal proceeding or investigation should not automatically prevent someone from running for office. São Paulo electoral courts ruled in his favor, although prosecutors said they would appeal.

Three legal experts consulted by Reuters supported the broader effort to address organized crime’s influence, while also noting legal limitations. Electoral law professor Clever Vasconcelos said courts were responding to a genuine threat but argued that Congress should consider changing the law to establish clearer grounds for barring candidates linked to organized crime.

Other legal experts warned that efforts to protect elections must remain within constitutional limits. Priscila Pamela Santos, president of the Brazilian Institute for Defense of the Right to Defense, said measures intended to protect democracy should not undermine due process.

Candidates rejected by local electoral courts can appeal, leaving Brazil’s highest electoral court to determine whether the precedent established in 2024 will remain in place.

Law professor Rafael Soares of PUC-PR said the central issue was no longer whether organized crime had entered the electoral sphere, but how far authorities should go in responding to that threat while respecting legal boundaries.

The debate comes as Brazil prepares for its October election amid growing scrutiny of the relationship between organized crime, political campaigns and electoral institutions.

SOURCE: Reuters, Fabio Teixeira and Ricardo Brito, September 22, 2026.