AI-Generated Deepfake Video of Bolsonaro Used at PL Convention in Brazil
The Brazilian Labour Party (PL) displayed an AI-generated deepfake video of Jair Bolsonaro at a national convention on 25 July 2026 to announce his son's presidential candidacy, while Bolsonaro was under house arrest. The video explicitly disclosed it was an AI simulation, though a PT deputy filed a complaint and legal experts debated whether it constituted an electoral violation under Brazilian electoral law.
What happened
On 25 July 2026, the PL party displayed an AI-generated video at its national convention showing Jair Bolsonaro's image and voice announcing his son Flávio Bolsonaro's presidential candidacy. Bolsonaro was under house arrest at the time and the video explicitly stated the images and voice were simulations created by artificial intelligence.
The video featured Bolsonaro saying 'I am imprisoned and silenced by an unjust decision' and appeared to participate in the party convention despite his confinement.
Reported impact
A PT deputy filed a complaint with the Attorney General's office regarding the video, and the PT party evaluated whether to pursue legal action against the use of the deepfake video.
Index analysis
Legal experts stated that use of AI itself is not prohibited by electoral legislation, but the Electoral Superior Court (TSE) could analyze the context, authorship, and impact of the content before deciding on sanctions. If the video simulated a recording Bolsonaro never made, it could be classified as a deepfake under TSE regulations.
The characterization of electoral irregularity would depend on whether the video was used in an electoral propaganda context and whether there was clear identification that the content was produced by AI. Responsibility would require investigation into who produced the video, who authorized its use, who financed production, and distribution.
Governance controls
The Electoral Superior Court retains authority to analyze whether the deepfake constituted an electoral violation or crime, depending on whether the conduct matched specific criminal statutes and demonstrated required elements for criminal liability.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.