Bolsonaro: Trial which could bar Brazil ex-leader from office starts

[Judi Lynn]

Published
17 hours ago



Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro participates in the inauguration ceremony of the new head of the women's division of the Liberal Party (PL) of the state of Sao Paulo, in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, 06 May 2023.IMAGE SOURCE,EPA

The court could bar Jair Bolsonaro from running for office for a period of eight years
By Vanessa Buschschlüter
BBC News

The trial of Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro before the Supreme Electoral Court has started in Brasilia.

Mr Bolsonaro is accused of abusing his power and spreading false information about Brazil's electoral system ahead of last year's presidential poll.

While it is not a criminal case, the judges do have the power to bar Mr Bolsonaro from running for office for eight years.

He is also under investigation in a number of separate criminal cases.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-65984289

[Judi Lynn]

1. Bolsonaro's political future hangs in the balance as Brazilian court case begins (ABC)

Brazil’s top electoral court has started hearing a case that could torpedo the political future of former President Jair Bolsonaro by rendering him ineligible for public office for eight years

By CARLA BRIDI and MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press
June 22, 2023, 7:32 AM

BRASILIA, Brazil -- Brazil’s top electoral court on Thursday began hearing a case that could torpedo the political future of former President Jair Bolsonaro by rendering him ineligible for public office for eight years.

Judges are evaluating a case filed by Brazil’s Democratic Labor Party, which claims the far-right leader abused his power by using government communication channels to promote his campaign and cast unfounded doubts on the country’s electronic voting system.

While Bolsonaro often railed against the voting system, the suit’s focus is a meeting last year on July 18 that Bolsonaro convened at the presidential palace with foreign ambassadors, which was broadcast on state television for nearly an hour.

Thursday’s session in the capital, Brasilia, began with Judge Benedito Gonçalves reading his report on the case. Bolsonaro’s lawyer, Tarcísio Vieira de Carvalho, told judges the case was “riddled with ideological falsehood.” The court's president Alexandre de Moraes suspended the session after roughly three hours, before any judge had cast a vote, citing time and scheduled obligations at the Supreme Court.

More:
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/political-future-brazils-bolsonaro-hangs-balance-trial-begins-100302777