Former President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro will not be allowed to hold public office for the next eight years and will therefore not be allowed to participate in elections. This was the result of a trial in which Bolsonaro was found guilty of abuse of power on Friday.
Bolsonaro, 68, questioned the reliability of voting machines as president last year. He did this during a meeting with foreign ambassadors that took place a few months before the presidential elections. It was broadcast on TV.
Five of the seven judges of Brazil’s Supreme Court Elitoral believe Bolsonaro is guilty of abuse of power and misuse of the media.
Bolsonaro lost the 2022 election by a narrow margin to former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The former president did not recognize the result.
It is not known if Bolsonaro wants to run again in the election, but the judges are now blocking those plans for at least the next eight years. Unless decided otherwise on appeal. Bolsonaro has already said he intends to go to the Supreme Court.
The former president described the statement as a “knife in the back”.
