STORY: Five out of seven justices voted to convict the 68-year-old Bolsonaro for abuse of power and misuse of the media over his actions in July 2022, ahead of the election, when he summoned ambassadors to vent unfounded claims about Brazil’s electronic voting system.
Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing, and his lawyers have pledged to appeal to the Supreme Court. He said he would keep working to advance right-wing politics in Brazil.
Their decision marks a stunning reversal for Bolsonaro, a fiery populist who narrowly the lost October vote to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Many in Brazil blame Bolsonaro for creating a nationwide movement to overturn the result, which culminated in the Jan. 8 invasion of government buildings in Brasilia by thousands of his supporters.
The impact of the electoral court’s ruling is likely to ripple through Brazilian politics, removing Lula’s main foe from contention in 2026 and opening up space in a competitive field on Brazil’s right.
As president, Jair Bolsonaro, an admirer of former U.S. President Donald Trump, was criticized internationally for his lackluster stewardship of the Amazon rainforest, his laissez-faire approach to COVID-19 restrictions, and his evidence-free attacks on Brazil’s electoral system.
Bolsonaro also still faces multiple criminal probes that could put him behind bars.
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