MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

TSE trial of Bolsonaro adjourned

If convicted, Bolsonaro could become ineligible for eight years for the second time

Brazil's Superior Electoral Court (TSE) Tuesday adjourned the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is believed to have abused his political power ahead of last year's elections which he eventually lost to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Agencia Brasil reported.

 On Tuesday, the TSE heard the defense and prosecution, as well as the Electoral Public Prosecutor's Office (MPE), which defended the filing of the lawsuits against the former president. The session was then adjourned and will resume on Tuesday (17), at which time the judges will begin casting their votes.

Bolsonaro is accused by rival political parties of using the structure of the Presidency of the Republic to promote his candidacy for re-election.

In the first lawsuit, it is claimed that the then-president made a live broadcast on social media on Sept. 21, 2022, inside the Alvorada Palace library, to present electoral proposals and ask for votes for candidates he supported.

The second lawsuit deals with another broadcast made on Aug. 18 when Bolsonaro allegedly asked for votes for his candidacy and for political allies who were also running in the elections, going so far as to show campaign propaganda.

In the third lawsuit, Bolsonaro is questioned for holding a meeting with governors and singers between Oct. 3 and 6 to announce their political support for the runoff.

Lawyer Tarcísio Vieira de Carvalho, representing Bolsonaro, questioned the legality of the joint trial of the three lawsuits and said the measure damaged the defense's work.

Regarding the live broadcasts, the lawyer said that the state structure was not used and that the broadcasts were made through Bolsonaro's private networks.

“This meeting took place outside the palace. In the images, no symbol of the Republic appears, there is no symbolism at all. There is no flag, no coat of arms. There were no electoral gains,” he insisted.

The Electoral Public Prosecutor's Office (MPE) defended the filing of the lawsuits. “It is necessary to characterize the seriousness of the act, in terms of a substantially negative impact on the legitimacy of the event,” said Deputy Electoral Prosecutor Paulo Gonet Branco.

If convicted, Bolsonaro could become ineligible for eight years for the second time. Ineligibility could also affect Bolsonaro's running mate General Walter Braga Netto.

In June, the former president was disenfranchised by the TSE for eight years for abuse of political power and misuse of the media. Bolsonaro held a meeting with ambassadors in July last year at the Alvorada Palace, where he attacked the electronic voting system. Braga Neto was acquitted in the trial because he did not take part in the meeting. (Source: Agencia Brasil)