Investigation examination: Alleged persecution against Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro?
In a landmark event for Brazil, the country's ex-President Jair Bolsonaro stands trial for an attempted coup, marking the first time a former president faces such charges in Brazil's history. The trial, which has received international attention, including from the US President Donald Trump, who accused the Brazilian authorities of carrying out a "witch hunt" against Bolsonaro and his family, is scheduled from September 2 to September 12.
The Supreme Court has imposed several restrictions on Bolsonaro, including requiring him to wear an ankle monitor as a precautionary measure and imposing limitations on his use of social media and contact with political allies. Alongside Bolsonaro, eight people, including several former generals and cabinet members, are facing charges.
The charges against Bolsonaro include violent abolition of the democratic constitutional state, attempted coup d'etat, participation in an armed criminal organization, serious damage to property, and damage to listed cultural assets. The former president, however, was not physically present in Brazil on January 8, 2023, when his supporters stormed the presidential palace in Brasilia.
The Supreme Court has given itself extraordinary powers, and there are concerns about whether it will exercise these powers to the fullest extent. The trial proceedings are before Brazil's Supreme Court, and fact-checking reveals that claims of the court's justice, Alexandre de Moraes, abusing his power are misleading.
In contrast, Supreme Court Justice Cármen Lúcia, who has voted for Bolsonaro's conviction in the process concerning the alleged coup attempt related to the 2022 presidential election, is leading the trial. There is no indication that Lúcia was involved as a candidate or participant in the 2022 elections themselves.
The investigations against Bolsonaro, including a report by the federal police, are available to the public in Brazil. Despite claims by Bolsonaro's supporters that the country is sliding into a dictatorship, demonstrations in support of the former president taking place in several major cities in Brazil prove otherwise.
Eduardo Bolsonaro, the former president's son and a Brazilian lawmaker, has made claims that the Supreme Court justice is abusing his power and that Brazil is sliding into a dictatorship. In response, Eduardo has taken an extended leave of absence from his lawmaker post and moved to the US, citing political persecution in Brazil.
Georg Witschel, president of the German Brazilian Society and former German ambassador to Brazil, believes Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes should recuse himself from the trial due to potential conflicts of interest.
The trial of the former president in Brazil is being closely watched internationally, with The New York Times reporting on the proceedings. Despite the trial, Bolsonaro's eligibility to run in the upcoming 2026 elections due to his previous convictions by Brazil's Supreme Electoral Court remains unaffected. The work of elected officials, as evidenced by the continued exercise of mandates by Bolsonaro's brothers, is not restricted in Brazil.
The Supreme Court has also blocked nationwide access to Twitter after the platform allegedly spread fake news during the election campaign. However, it's important to note that the workings of the Brazilian democracy continue to unfold, with the trial against Bolsonaro representing a significant step in the country's ongoing commitment to upholding the rule of law.
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