Brazil's Bolsonaro challenges election results

STORY: Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has now formally challenged the results of the election he lost.

Three weeks ago his far-left opponent Lula da Silva won the vote.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Liberal Party leader and Bolsonaro ally Valdemar Costa Neto, presented analysis from what he called “specialists”, which found “signs of irreparable malfunction” in some electronic voting machines used in the October 30 runoff.

Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, has for years claimed the country’s voting machines were faulty.

The complaint has now been officially lodged with election authorities.

Though they have responded to it with skepticism.

A top judge on Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court has ruled Bolsonaro’s right-wing coalition must present its full audit for both rounds of last month’s vote in 24 hours.

Otherwise, he would reject their complaint.

The top court has already ratified Lula’s victory, and Brazil’s international allies have acknowledged the election result.

Two weeks ago, Brazil’s Defense Ministry found that there was no evidence of election fraud.

A small but committed movement refusing to accept Bolsonaro’s defeat has been growing.

On Tuesday, pro-Bolsonaro supporters held more rallies against President-elect Lula – this time in front of a military compound.

It’s only the latest in the weeks since the vote which have seen pro-Bolsonaro protesters blocking roads to air their frustration.

Bolsonaro has told his supporters to lift blockades and “find other ways to protest”.