2023-06-27 12:11:11
The far-right is accused of “abuse of power and improper use of the media” for exposing his unfounded theory against the reliability of electronic ballot boxes to 40 ambassadors.
Hoy 09:08
The ex-president Jair Bolsonaro his political future is at stake as of this Tuesday, when the seven judges of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) of Brazil start voting in a trial that could end in your disqualification for the 2026 and 2030 elections.
The trial began last Thursday, with the interventions of the rapporteur of the case, the plaintiff, the defense of the former president and the prosecution electoral campaign, which has already declared itself in favor of the ex-president’s disqualification. And now the judges must cast their vote starting at 7:00 p.m. Brasiliain a day that is expected to be tense.
The process began with the lawsuit filed by the center-left Democratic Labor Party (PDT, for its acronym in Portuguese) after, in July 2022, three months before the presidential elections, Bolsonaro exposed in a meeting with 40 ambassadors, broadcast by the official media, his unfounded theory against the reliability of electronic ballot boxes.
That theory, which Bolsonaro repeated on multiple occasions over the years, would have motivated his radical supporters to claim fraud in the elections and that, a few days after the inauguration of Lulainvade and destroy the headquarters of the three powers in Brasilia.
“Abuse of power”
For these facts, the former president is also being prosecuted in the highest court. Specifically, they accuse him of “abuse of power and improper use of the media.” According to prosecutionthe meeting with ambassadors “was deformed into an instrument of electoral maneuver.”
The electoral law considers that the abuse of political power occurs when the defendant takes advantage of his position and uses public goods in order to influence the voter.
If it is disabled, Bolsonaro68, will not be able to participate in elections for eight years, a period that counts from the 2022 elections.
This is one of the 16 complaints that the former president has open before the electoral justice. But many in Brazil They take it for granted that the case that is resumed this Tuesday is the one that could do them the most damage and probably end in their political disqualification.
Pre-candidate in 2026
After an act of its formation, the liberal partyMonday in the Legislative Assembly of Sao Paulo, Bolsonaro He spoke about the trial: “Is it fair to revoke someone’s political rights for meeting with ambassadors? It is not fair to talk about attacking democracy,” he asserted.
And he continued: “We cannot passively accept Brazil that possible criticisms or suggestions to improve the electoral system are seen as an attack on democracy”.
Bolsonaro He also defended his experience as a candidate for the 2026 elections. “There is no one irreplaceable. I talked about it now with parliamentarians. What happens here is that there are people more competent than me, but they do not have the national knowledge that I have. I got, thank God, considerable charisma from the population.”
The ultra-rightist had already spoken out last Thursday before the trial began, when he stated that he had a very difficult time and that his probable disqualification would be “an affront.” The next day he also made it clear that he planned to run in the 2026 election.
“In 2026, if I am alive and eligible, and if this is the will of the people, I am going to run for that presidency again,” he declared. “I think I can still contribute to my country in politics. I ask God that my political rights are not curtailed by the TSE. Of course I don’t want to lose them,” added the former president.
The trial is likely to span at least three sessions. There is also the possibility that one of the judges asks for more time to analyze the case and that it is interrupted indefinitely.
It will be necessary to see how his followers will react if Bolsonaro is disabled. Last Thursday, at the beginning of the trial, the authorities tightened the security measures at the headquarters of the TSEbut the day took place without incident, almost without Bolsonaro mobilization.
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