Brasilia: Former President of Brazil jair bolsonaroHis political career came to a halt on Friday BrazilThe Federal Electoral Court (TSE) banned the far-right nationalist from public office until 2030 for his conduct during last year’s hard-fought election.
Five of the seven judges voted to convict Bolsonaro, 68, of abuse of power and abuse of the media when, in July, ahead of the 2022 election, he published unsubstantiated claims about Brazil’s electronic voting system. called ambassadors for
His decision marks a surprising reversal for Bolsonaro, a flamboyant former army captain who narrowly lost to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in October’s election. Many in Brazil accuse him of launching a nationwide movement to overturn the result, which culminated in an attack on government buildings in Brasília by thousands of his supporters on 8 January.
The electoral court’s decision is likely to have an impact on Brazilian politics, removing Lula’s main foe from contention in 2026 and opening up space to a competitive field on Brazil’s right.
Lula’s team celebrated the result.
Justice Minister Flavio Dino tweeted, “Some important messages come from the TSE trial: lying is not a valid tool to perform a public function and politics is not governed by the law of the jungle.” “Democracy has overcome its toughest stress test in decades.”
This is not the end bolsonarotroubles of; He is still facing multiple criminal investigations that could land him behind bars.
Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing and his lawyers have promised to appeal to the Supreme Court. On Friday, he described the decision as a “stab in the back” and vowed to keep working to advance right-wing politics in Brazil.
It remains to be seen what Bolsonaro, whose personal brand has become increasingly toxic in Brazil, does next.
His hopes of defeating Lula in 2026 may be over, but that doesn’t mean Bolsonaro won’t be around in three years’ time. Bolsonaro has said he would support his wife Michelle as a candidate. She is a political novice, but an avowed evangelical Christian who could garner support among the religious right wary of Lula.
Jair Bolsonaro, an admirer of former US President Donald Trump, has been criticized internationally for his weak management of the Amazon rainforest, his laissez-faire approach to COVID-19 restrictions and his evidence-free attacks on Brazil’s electoral system.
The TSE test is part of a wider assessment in Brazil of the fallout of the country’s most painful election in a generation. While the former president faces an electoral court probe, several of his aides are being questioned by lawmakers in a Congressional probe into the January 8 riots.
Five of the seven judges voted to convict Bolsonaro, 68, of abuse of power and abuse of the media when, in July, ahead of the 2022 election, he published unsubstantiated claims about Brazil’s electronic voting system. called ambassadors for
His decision marks a surprising reversal for Bolsonaro, a flamboyant former army captain who narrowly lost to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in October’s election. Many in Brazil accuse him of launching a nationwide movement to overturn the result, which culminated in an attack on government buildings in Brasília by thousands of his supporters on 8 January.
The electoral court’s decision is likely to have an impact on Brazilian politics, removing Lula’s main foe from contention in 2026 and opening up space to a competitive field on Brazil’s right.
Lula’s team celebrated the result.
Justice Minister Flavio Dino tweeted, “Some important messages come from the TSE trial: lying is not a valid tool to perform a public function and politics is not governed by the law of the jungle.” “Democracy has overcome its toughest stress test in decades.”
This is not the end bolsonarotroubles of; He is still facing multiple criminal investigations that could land him behind bars.
Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing and his lawyers have promised to appeal to the Supreme Court. On Friday, he described the decision as a “stab in the back” and vowed to keep working to advance right-wing politics in Brazil.
It remains to be seen what Bolsonaro, whose personal brand has become increasingly toxic in Brazil, does next.
His hopes of defeating Lula in 2026 may be over, but that doesn’t mean Bolsonaro won’t be around in three years’ time. Bolsonaro has said he would support his wife Michelle as a candidate. She is a political novice, but an avowed evangelical Christian who could garner support among the religious right wary of Lula.
Jair Bolsonaro, an admirer of former US President Donald Trump, has been criticized internationally for his weak management of the Amazon rainforest, his laissez-faire approach to COVID-19 restrictions and his evidence-free attacks on Brazil’s electoral system.
The TSE test is part of a wider assessment in Brazil of the fallout of the country’s most painful election in a generation. While the former president faces an electoral court probe, several of his aides are being questioned by lawmakers in a Congressional probe into the January 8 riots.