The Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, promised an immediate response against the use of deepfakes – videos or audio manipulated by artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate speeches and images of real people – and the interference of criminal factions in the 2026 elections.
“YOU ARE [Tribunal Superior Eleitoral] is aware of this and so is the Attorney General’s Office,” he said in an interview with EsferaCast. He acknowledged the difficulty of distinguishing content generated by malicious AI from legitimate productions.
Gonet also warned of the risk of factions and militias preventing candidates from campaigning in territories under their control. “The Brazilian State cannot coexist with parallel states, set up and directed by criminal organizations,” he stated.
The prosecutor spoke about the recent classification of Brazilian factions as terrorist organizations by the United States government. In his opinion, the American decision exposes Brazil to a negative image abroad, but could have a positive effect by encouraging the union of public bodies in combating organized crime.
Asked about how the PGR protects itself from political pressure in an election year, Gonet said that the Prosecutor’s Office maintains its independence by following the rhythm of the law and not the speed of the media.
Gonet also criticized the excessive judicialization of conflicts in Brazilian society. For him, there is a growing tendency to transform any everyday conflict into legal action – from consumer relations to political disputes.
The prosecutor stated that the Federal Supreme Court (STF) has become a third chamber of Congress and a space for small parties that do not have a voice in the Legislature and take their disputes to the Court.
