The 2022 Elections in Brazil and Allegations of Foreign Interference
The 2022 elections in Brazil took place amid significant political polarization, with then-President Jair Bolsonaro facing criticism both domestically and internationally for his conservative stances and repeated questioning of the reliability of electronic voting machines. During the campaign, Bolsonaro frequently warned of potential electoral fraud, creating tensions with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), chaired at the time by Justice Luís Roberto Barroso.
Against this backdrop, allegations emerged that external forces, particularly the United States, acted to undermine Bolsonaro’s re-election bid. Bolsonaro was ideologically aligned with former U.S. President Donald Trump and supported by figures like Elon Musk, who champions free speech and opposes what he calls “globalist censorship.”
Mike Benz’s Testimony at CREDN
Mike Benz, known for his critiques of the alleged weaponization of U.S. agencies for political purposes, provided a detailed testimony on August 6, 2025, before the CREDN (Committee on Foreign Relations and National Defense), chaired by Congressman Filipe Barros (PL-PR), a Bolsonaro ally.
Benz alleged that the Biden administration, through a network of institutions including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the CIA, the State Department, the Pentagon, and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), orchestrated a campaign to interfere in Brazil’s 2022 elections. According to him, the goal was clear: to prevent Jair Bolsonaro’s re-election and favor Lula, seen as more aligned with the progressive interests of the Democratic establishment.
Funding of NGOs and Media to Shape Narratives
Benz claimed that this interference involved funding NGOs, media outlets, and fact-checking agencies in Brazil, with millions of dollars channeled to shape public narratives and censor conservative voices.
He highlighted that USAID, under the guise of “combating disinformation,” allocated over $90 million to operations in Brazil during Bolsonaro’s government. These included partnerships with the Atlantic Council, an organization with ties to former CIA directors. According to Benz, these actions involved manipulating the information environment to silence Bolsonaro supporters and bolster the leftist opposition.
Alleged Coordination Between Barroso and USAID
A central point of Benz’s testimony was the claim that then-TSE President Luís Roberto Barroso maintained direct contact with USAID to “align actions” against what Benz described as Brazilian democracy.
He cited a partnership between the TSE and the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), overseen by USAID. Events such as the “Guide to Combating Disinformation” in 2021 and the virtual meeting “Elections and Digital Transformation” in December of the same year, attended by Barroso, were described by Benz as facades for censorship and narrative control.
Accusations Involving the CIA and U.S. State Department
Benz also accused the CIA of directly warning the Bolsonaro administration against questioning electronic voting machines, which he claimed included components supplied by the U.S.
He even suggested that the State Department diverted funds to build voting machines in order to manipulate the electoral process against Bolsonaro — though he provided no concrete evidence for these claims.
Visits by American Officials to Brazil
Benz’s allegations were bolstered by reports of high-level visits by U.S. officials to Brazil prior to the 2022 elections. In July 2021, CIA Director William Burns made an unannounced visit to Brasília, where he met with Bolsonaro and senior Brazilian intelligence officials, including General Augusto Heleno and Alexandre Ramagem, then head of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin).
According to sources, Burns warned the Brazilian government not to undermine confidence in the electoral system — a message interpreted by Bolsonaro supporters as a veiled threat to ensure acceptance of the election results.
The following month, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also visited Bolsonaro and reiterated similar concerns. Additionally, General Laura Richardson, head of the U.S. Southern Command (responsible for Latin America), visited Brazil in 2021 and 2022, reinforcing American pressure for Brazilian institutions to “respect democracy.” According to critics like Benz, these visits were part of a coordinated strategy to weaken Bolsonaro, who was seen as an obstacle to the geopolitical interests of the Democrats.
The Role of NED and Other NGOs
Benz pointed to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) as tools of the CIA used to influence Brazil’s political landscape.
He alleged that the NED, purportedly controlled by the Democratic Party, funded NGOs and leftist movements in Brazil, including the CEPPS, which had ties to the TSE. The NDI, he claimed, launched the “Design 4 Democracy” coalition shortly after Bolsonaro’s 2018 victory, aiming to counter his influence and prepare the ground for the 2022 elections.
Fact-Checking Agencies and Media Manipulation
Furthermore, Benz accused fact-checking agencies like
Agência Lupa,
Aos Fatos, and the
Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji) of acting as “American puppets,” funded by USAID and NED to censor conservative content.
He claimed that 24 agencies under the
Comprova Project, which collaborated with the TSE, had ties to these U.S. organizations and were used to manipulate public discourse in favor of Lula.
