Jair Bolsonaro BANNED From Running For Office

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro is banned from running for public office again until 2030.

The majority of judges on Brazil’s highest electoral court said the former Brazilian president used “government communication channels” to sew distrust in the country’s electronic voting system.

The court ruled Bolsonaro is a threat to political tensions, and its decision likely removes any chance of him regaining the presidency.

Eight-year election ban for Brazil's Bolsonaro https://t.co/oHibYd0RSI

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) June 30, 2023

Breaking News: Former President Jair Bolsonaro was blocked from public office in Brazil until 2030 after a vote by the country's electoral court, removing a top presidential contender and dealing a blow to the country’s far-right movement. https://t.co/WZAOZiJchN pic.twitter.com/IMwfc9rqJi

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 30, 2023

AP reports:

“This decision will end Bolsonaro’s chances of being president again, and he knows it,” said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. “After this, he will try to stay out of jail, elect some of his allies to keep his political capital, but it is very unlikely he will ever return to the presidency.”

The case focused on a July 18, 2022, meeting where Bolsonaro used government staffers, the state television channel and the presidential palace in Brasilia to tell foreign ambassadors that the country’s electronic voting system was rigged.

In her decisive vote that formed a majority, Judge Carmen Lucia — who is also a Supreme Court justice — said “the facts are incontrovertible.”

“The meeting did take place. It was convened by the then-president. Its content is available. It was examined by everyone, and there was never a denial that it did happen,” she said.

“In Brazil, the courts just barred former President Jair Bolsonaro from running for President until 2030 because they claim he abused his power. That’s EXACTLY what the American liberals are trying to do through the court system here,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) commented.

“Unbelievable how liberals use lawfare since they can’t win fairly.”

In Brazil, the courts just barred former President Jair Bolsonaro from running for President until 2030 because they claim he abused his power.

That's EXACTLY what the American liberals are trying to do through the court system here.

Unbelievable how liberals use lawfare since…

— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) June 30, 2023

Fox News added:

The decision was made with four out of seven votes by the Superior Electoral Court.

One justice voted against the ban, while two more due to cast their vote later; however, the two awaited decisions cannot impact the outcome.

Bolsonaro, who lost his election against left-wing opponent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022, launched an aggressive campaign against the Brazilian government that claimed the election was stolen.

One week after Lula took office, Bolsonaro’s supporters raided and trashed the buildings of the Supreme Court, Congress and the presidential palace. Hundreds of them are expected to stand trial.

Brazil’s prosecutor-general, Augusto Aras, said earlier this month that Bolsonaro “allegedly encouraged the perpetration of crimes” against the rule of law.

The former president left the country after his defeat and was staying in Orlando, Florida, during the attacks and has denied any involvement in them.

The ruling quashes Bolsanro’s plans to re-enter national politics. The former president previously told media outlets he was considering a run for the Brazilian senate in 2026.