Brazil election live: Lula’s lead over Bolsonaro narrows amid fears of voter suppression

A reminder that as Brazilians headed to the polls for the second time in a month, there were alarming reports of voter suppression, with members of the federal highway police – a notoriously pro-Bolsonaro security force – setting up roadblocks in Lula strongholds in the country’s north-east.

Brazil’s opposition denounced the unusual operations, which were reportedly planned during a meeting at Bolsonaro’s official presidential residence, as a deliberate attempt to prevent Lula voters reaching their polling stations.

“There is only one name for this: a desperate attempt to clobber our democracy,” tweeted Marina Silva, a prominent centrist politician who has backed Lula’s campaign.

Moraes demanded an immediate end to the police operations and summoned the highway police’s director – who reportedly posted a pro-Bolsonaro message on social media on the eve of the election – to explain why his forces were defying a judicial decision outlawing such activities on election day.

Lula supporters flooded social media with calls for police to “let the north-east vote”.

Randolfe Rodrigues, an opposition senator who is a key member of Lula’s team, demanded the immediate arrest of the highway police director, Silvinei Vasques.

“Crooks! Criminals! Bolsonaro is using the government apparatus to try to stop poor people voting … We must unite for our democracy and for our people,” Rodrigues tweeted.

Unusual security operations involving the military police and army were also reported in Rio de Janeiro.

A recent investigation by the magazine Piauí revealed that Vasques was appointed at the suggestion of Bolsonaro’s senator son, Flávio Bolsonaro. “Since taking over the corporation, Silvinei Vaques has strictly adhered to the Bolsonarista playbook,” Piauí reported.

Addressing the media on Sunday, De Moraes cautioned against overstating the impact of the police operations on voters but said an investigation would look at whether there had been an abuse of authority:

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