No. of Recommendations: 5
Further:
• In key leftist strongholds like Bahia state, where voters rely heavily on public transportation to reach polling stations, local authorities systematically restricted transit. In Salvador alone, hundreds of public buses were prevented from leaving municipal garages.
• Official Arrests: A state electoral judge ordered the arrest of Salvador’s mobility secretary, Pablo Souza, for his role in stopping the buses.
• Mayoral Involvement: The municipal issues heavily involved local mayors, governors, and business owners allied with the Bolsonaro campaign. Pro-Bolsonaro officials like Salvador Mayor Bruno Reis attempted to deflect the blame, claiming trade unionists forced the shutdown by placing unauthorized Workers' Party campaign materials on the vehicles.
• Supreme Court Intervention: Recognizing the widespread effort to restrict the freedom of movement for voters, the Supreme Court of Brazil intervened. The court officially ruled to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours to compensate for the engineered transit delays.
