The Trial of Former Right-Wing Extremist President Bolsonaro Begins in Brazil with Predictions of Conviction

The trial of former right-wing extremist President Bolsonaro begins in Brazil. Observers assume his conviction.

Brasilia – Brazil’s former right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro is threatened with an eight-year ban from public office: a trial against the 68-year-old began on Thursday before the country’s Supreme Electoral Court because of the politician’s statements about the Brazilian electoral system. Bolsonaro did not appear at the start of the trial. The hearing was adjourned after about three hours.

The public prosecutor’s office accuses the right-wing politician, among other things, of abusing political power. During the campaign leading up to last year’s presidential election, he made unsubstantiated allegations against the electronic voting system in Brazil to foreign diplomats. The 68-year-old later narrowly lost to his left-wing challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a runoff. Bolsonaro maintains his innocence.

Trial against Bolsonaro: Observers assume conviction

Judge Benedito Goncalves read the indictment at the beginning of the trial. The right-wing politician is accused of trying to “make the future election result unbelievable in the eyes of the international community” – at a time when Bolsonaro’s opponents “were ahead in the polls”.

Both sides then presented their arguments. After about three hours, the court adjourned the hearing to Tuesday. Then the pronouncement of the judgment of the seven judges should begin.

Observers assume that Bolsonaro will be convicted, which means that he will not be able to run in the next presidential election in Brazil in 2026. The 68-year-old’s attorney said Bolsonaro would appeal to the Supreme Court if convicted.

Lula’s former lawyer, now a judge in Brazil’s Supreme Court

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Senate confirmed the appointment of Lula’s longtime lawyer as a judge on the country’s Supreme Court. Cristiano Zanin had defended Lula in several corruption cases. After an eight-hour poll by the senators, the House of Lords voted 58 in favor of him on Wednesday. There were 18 votes against.

Zanin vowed during questioning that he would do his duty without “capitulating in any way” to his former client Lula. “For me, impartiality is fundamental and a structural element of the judiciary itself,” he said. The Constitutional and Judiciary Committee had voted in favor of Zanin by a clear majority.

Lula nominated the 47-year-old for the Supreme Court in early June, saying he would be an “extraordinary judge.” Opposition politicians criticized the selection and accused the president of wanting to fill the court with well-disposed judges.

Zanin, specializing in civil law, has represented Lula since 2013 and has been his defense attorney in several corruption cases. Between 2018 and 2019, Lula spent around a year and a half in prison on corruption charges. His supporters saw a political maneuver behind the conviction – Lula was thus excluded from the presidential race, the right-wing Bolsonaro won. Then, in March 2021, the Supreme Court overturned Lula’s procedural violations verdict – paving the way for his return to power. (dpa)

List of rubrics: © Wesley Santos/dpa