🇧🇷🤡💰😀🌐 — The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) increased spending on advertisements on Instagram and Facebook and had already spent R$ 21 million by mid-May to promote federal programs, public works, and popular appeal measures during an election year in Brazil.

❗️ The amount is nearly double the R$ 11.45 million spent during the same period last year and concentrates campaigns in areas considered strategic for the government ahead of the start of the election campaign, in which he will seek reelection.

➡️ Data from Meta’s ad library were compiled by Estadão, published this Saturday (23), and show that the campaigns promoted by the Palácio do Planalto mainly target states with the country’s largest electorates, such as São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia. Part of the funds was also directed toward actions in Rio Grande do Sul, Ceará, Pernambuco, and cities in Minas Gerais affected by floods.

➡️ The calendar established by the Tribunal Superior Eleitoral states that the government may promote institutional advertising only until July 4. After that deadline, only advertisements for products and services that face market competition will be allowed, except in urgent cases recognized by the Electoral Court.

⁉️ Lula has been a strong critic of social media platforms, accusing them of spreading alleged misinformation and hate speech. This week, he signed decrees increasing the liability of platforms for content published by users, which prompted an immediate reaction from the opposition, which will attempt to overturn them in Congress.

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