Bolsonaro investigated
BRASILIA: A Supreme Court judge yesterday authorised an investigation of allegations Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro tried to interfere in the work of the country’s federal police force for political motives, the court said on its website.
Justice Celso de Mello gave the federal police 60 days to carry out the investigation requested by Brazil’s chief public prosecutor Augusto Aras following the accusations made by former justice minister Sergio Moro, who resigned on Friday.
Moro said Bolsonaro had pressed him to change the chief of the federal police and accused the president of seeking to interfere in investigations that involved family members, to the point of requesting intelligence files.
Bolsonaro called the accusations unfounded, but they have set off the worst political crisis since he took office in January last year.
The investigation comes at a bad moment for Bolsonaro, who faces criticism for downplaying the gravity of Covid19, which has killed more than 4600 in the country and paralysed its economy.
Based on the results of the investigation, the public prosecutor will have to decide whether to press charges against the president or his former minister.
An indictment of the president would have to be approved by the lower house of Congress before a trial could move ahead; the house, however, is dominated by Bolsonaro’s supporters.
If he is indicted, he would be suspended and Vicepresident Hamilton Mourao would take over his position for up to 180 days. If convicted, he would lose office.
A poll conducted yesterday showed a majority of Brazilians believe Moro’s accusations are true and 46% believe Bolsonaro should resign, while 50% think he should not.