The Brazilian elections court has unanimously voted to bar former President Jair Bolsonaro from holding office for eight years due to his abuse of power during his presidency.
A majority of four out of seven court members found that Bolsonaro utilized government communication channels to campaign and spread doubt regarding the election results, leading to the ruling. One member opposed the decision, while two others had not submitted their votes as of early Friday afternoon.
Bolsonaro has the option to appeal the ruling to the Brazilian Supreme Court. However, should the court uphold the decision, he will be prevented from running for office until 2030, when he reaches 75 years of age.
The case against Bolsonaro revolved around a meeting held in July 2022, during which he utilized state television, government staff, and the presidential palace to inform foreign ambassadors that Brazil’s electoral system was manipulated.
Judge Carmen Lucia cast the deciding vote that solidified the election court’s ruling against Bolsonaro. She deemed the facts surrounding the meeting “incontrovertible.”
“The meeting unquestionably occurred, as it was convened by the then-president. Its content is available and has been examined by all, without any denial of its occurrence,” Lucia stated.
Bolsonaro decried the ruling as an “injustice” against him and questioned whether he had committed any concrete actions against democracy.
The Washington Post reports that Bolsonaro’s attorney, Tarcísio Vieira de Carvalho, stated before the ruling that they would appeal to the country’s highest court.
This ruling marks the first instance in Brazilian history where a former president has been barred from running for office due to an elections-related violation. Bolsonaro is also facing additional legal challenges, including criminal investigations.
The Post also notes that Bolsonaro’s comments and actions led to his supporters storming Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace on January 8. Observers drew comparisons between this incident and the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the United States Capitol.
Bolsonaro narrowly lost in a runoff election against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva last year but refused to concede the race.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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