The campaign of senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), son of former president Jair Bolsonaro and a candidate for president, filed a petition on Thursday (27) with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Brazil's top electoral authority, against President Lula (PT), who is running for reelection. The target is an interview Lula gave to the Record network on Sunday (23), recorded at the Alvorada Palace, the official residence of the Brazilian presidency. According to G1, the case will be handled by the court's president, Justice Kassio Nunes Marques.

The interview aired at the same time as the first presidential debate, hosted by the Band network, which neither Lula nor Flávio attended, according to Folha de S.Paulo. In the filing, the senator's lawyers argue that the use of the palace violated the principle of equality among candidates and cite previous TSE rulings.

"The candidate for reelection appeared before the electorate, in an exclusive interview, using as backdrop and material support a public asset to which he has access solely because of the office he holds," the defense wrote, according to G1.

Flávio's lawyers ask that Lula refrain from using the Alvorada Palace and other public facilities with restricted access for the "recording, production or broadcast of interviews, livestreams, statements or content of an electoral nature." According to Folha, the campaign also wants the president to remove excerpts of the interview from his social media until a final ruling, and asks the court to fine Lula's campaign and order reimbursement of the public funds used in the recording.

Brazilian electoral law bars officeholders from using "movable or immovable assets belonging to the direct or indirect public administration." The TSE, however, allows exceptions: electoral content inside official residences is permitted when the setting is neutral, without official symbols, without the use of public resources and with participation restricted to the officeholder. Flávio's campaign argues that Sunday's interview does not meet those conditions, invoking the precedent that "the use of public assets inaccessible to other competitors in favor of a candidacy violates electoral equality."

The case now rests with Kassio Nunes Marques. As of Thursday evening, the rapporteur had not ruled on the request, which includes an injunction to block any further recording of campaign content at the palace.