Former Brazilian President Bolsonaro Banned from Politics for 8 Years

Brazil’s highest electoral court voted 5-2 to bar former President Jair Bolsonaro from running for office until 2030.

The Details: The courts found the right-wing politician guilty of abusing his power ahead of Brazil’s 2022 elections, and spreading political rhetoric which cast doubt on the country’s electronic voting systems. Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing, and his legal team plans to apply the ruling.

For Context: Bolsonaro narrowly lost the 2022 election to the left-wing now president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro never publicly acknowledged defeat and left the country for Florida days before Silva was sworn in. On January 8, Bolsonaro supporters stormed the Brazilian Congress and presidential palace, which has been likened to the January 6, 2021 storming of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Key Quotes: Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over the court and voted in favor of the guilty verdict, said the vote shows Brazilian authorities do not tolerate “criminal extremism attacking the powers of the state, fake news, (or) disinformation to try to deceive voters.”

Media Reactions to the News: In an analysis, New York Times (Lean Left) compared the situation to current charges faced by Donald Trump, highlighting differences in Brazilian and American structures. The Times described Brazil’s courts as “proactive,” but said America has left Trump’s “fate up to voters and the slow, methodical process of the justice system.” National Review (Right) published an opinion commending Brazil’s system for having “the courage to do what congressional Republicans wouldn’t.”