Brazil Elections: TSE appeals against abstention in the 2nd round

The president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) of Brazil, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, thanked this Thursday (27) voters who voted in the first round and encouraged everyone to return to the polls in the second round, which takes place next Sunday (30).

The minister also thanked the mayors of the 27 capitals after all of them confirmed free public transportation in the second round. In the first round, only 12 capitals had free passes, and the abstention rate was 20.89%, equivalent to about 32.7 million voters.

He also encouraged male and female voters not to be intimidated by threats and urged them to report cases of electoral harassment. "We cannot allow voters to be harassed, to be coerced, to be threatened, it is even electoral harassment for employers to threaten their employees," Moraes said.

According to data from the Labor Public Ministry (MPT), complaints of electoral harassment in companies exploded throughout the runoff campaign, reaching 1,572 cases so far, compared to only 61 recorded in the first round.

"I ask all voters, just as they did in the first round, to come with tranquility, with peace, to choose their candidates, Choose with freedom," Moraes appealed.