Brazil’s Socialist Labor Party Files Complaint Over AI-Generated Bolsonaro Video

On Sunday, Brazil’s ruling Socialist Labor Party (PT) brought a complaint to the Supreme Federal Court (STF) regarding a video created using artificial intelligence that features former President Jair Bolsonaro.

According to reports, Judge Alexandre de Moraes of the STF stated that the video goes against a court-ordered restriction that forbids Bolsonaro from making political campaign statements.

Interestingly, the PT had previously submitted a similar complaint on Monday. In that instance, the party criticized Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is also a presidential candidate, during a session at the High Electoral Tribunal (TSE). As of now, neither the STF nor the TSE has issued any public comment on the PT’s complaint.

This weekend, the Liberal Party (PL) held its national convention in São Paulo, where they officially announced Senator Flavio Bolsonaro as their candidate for the upcoming presidential election in October. He will be competing against the left-wing incumbent, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is campaigning for a fourth term.

Javier Milei, the President of Argentina, was also present at the event, offering his support to Flavio Bolsonaro and criticizing Lula in strong terms, calling him a “thief” and “socialist trash.”

During the PL convention, the attendees watched an AI-generated video of Jair Bolsonaro. In the roughly one-minute piece, the AI version of Bolsonaro clarified that he wasn’t speaking as the real Jair Bolsonaro but as a “simulation” that mimics the former president’s appearance and voice. In the video, this AI avatar claimed that Brazil’s future hinged on Flavio Bolsonaro becoming president.

The AI representation purportedly stated, “As everyone here knows, I am imprisoned and silenced by an unjust and arbitrary decision that I never made. But I assure you that my imprisonment will not silence the spirit of hope that we have awakened.” It went on to assert that “No amount of imprisonment can silence the millions of Brazilians who believe in our country,” urging support for Flavio Bolsonaro as his chosen successor.

Reportedly, the video was played during Flavio Bolsonaro’s acceptance speech after the event host teased that there was a “surprise” waiting for him. Various Brazilian news outlets shared the entire AI-generated video on their social media platforms.

The PT’s complaint asserted that the video constituted a “political election demonstration,” essentially suggesting it could mislead voters by using Bolsonaro’s likeness and voice. They described Bolsonaro’s current situation as an “unjust and arbitrary” imprisonment, contending that AI-generated materials should be treated like traditional campaign content—thus falling under the same restrictions.

Former President Bolsonaro is serving a 27-year term for “crimes against democracy.” He was moved from solitary confinement to home arrest in Brasília earlier this year under strict conditions. As per Judge de Moraes’s orders, he cannot use any digital devices or engage with social media.

Additionally, a recent ruling from De Moraes barred Bolsonaro from participating in political activities until after the October 2026 general elections. This came after Flavio Bolsonaro released a handwritten letter urging supporters to back him in the coming election, and it also prohibited President Milei from visiting Jair Bolsonaro during his recent trip to Brazil.

The PT likened the AI video to Flavio Bolsonaro’s recently shared letter, labeling it an “official campaign act mass-transmitted using artificial intelligence” and asserting it represented an even more serious violation of restrictions.

This isn’t the first instance where AI has been used to replicate an imprisoned leader. For example, in 2024, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party released a video celebrating their electoral success featuring a simulation of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is serving a significant prison sentence. Like Bolsonaro, Khan is also restricted from making public political addresses due to his circumstances.

Jair Bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, commented on social media that the AI-generated video was the “closest way to overcome the current censorship imposed in Brazil.” Eduardo, who sought political asylum in the U.S. citing persecution back home, faced a ruling for “coercion” due to his activities favoring his father’s political stance.