The TSE has already ordered Flávio’s posts linking Lula to church closures removed.

On October 8, deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) shared a screenshot attributed to federal deputy-elect Ana Elisa (PT-MG)^[1]. Her press team says it is fabricated: the post “does not exist in her account history”, and “in 2022, Ana was 17”^[1]. She admits that other old posts circulating are hers and apologized, but denies this one^[6]. Fact-checking collective Bereia rated the claim that Lula would close churches as “False”; on the screenshot, it recorded the deputy’s denial^[7].

Ana Elisa announced that she would go to the Electoral Court and the Public Prosecutor’s Office and request a forensic examination^[1]. Fabrication has not yet been established by a forensic examination. Meanwhile, the hashtag led X for more than two hours, with around 28,000 posts and 8 million views^[7].

After the screenshot, Flávio, a senator (PL-RJ) and candidate, posted a photo praying in a church with the caption “Lula, don’t close my church”^[2]. According to O Antagonista, there is no evidence that Lula wants to close churches^[2].

In October 2022, TSE Justice Paulo de Tarso Sanseverino ordered the removal of posts of a video by Nikolas linking Lula, among other issues, to church closures. The order applied to Flávio’s posts^[3].

In 2003, Lula signed the law guaranteeing the free establishment and operation of religious organizations, “with public authorities prohibited from denying them recognition”^[4]. In 2009, he signed the law creating National March for Jesus Day^[5].

On October 25, the vote is yours. It is worth checking what the law says before believing what circulates on your phone.

As of October 10, we found no 2026 fact-check by Fato ou Fake, Estadão Verifica, UOL Confere or Projeto Comprova on the return of “Lula will close churches”. Major outlets reported the screenshot, but recorded only the deputy’s denial, without recalling that the same claim had already been debunked in 2022^[8].

That year, Comprova, which brings together newsrooms such as Estadão, CNN Brasil and Metrópoles, rated the message that Lula would close churches as false^[9], and the TSE ordered posts on the subject removed^[3]. This time, the only fact-check with a “False” rating came from an independent collective, Bereia^[7]. The lie returns with every election; the memory that it has already been debunked should return with it.