Brazil’s top electoral court acquitted former President Jair Bolsonaro in one of three abuse of power cases.
Previously, the court had banned him from future elections until 2030. That ban was for making unfounded claims about Brazil’s voting system while meeting foreign ambassadors.
Now, the Democratic Labor Party had filed the recent case. They claimed Bolsonaro used public resources to campaign.
Specifically, they cited a live broadcast on August 18 as evidence. However, Judge Benedito Gonçalves found the evidence lacking.
He stated that the broadcast setting could not be confirmed as a government location. Only a white wall was visible in the video. The rest of the court agreed with this perspective.
So, Bolsonaro has asked for acquittal in all three cases he faces. He lost the 2022 presidential campaign to the current leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Background
Brazil has a long history of political tension. This tension often unfolds in the country’s electoral court.
Previously, impeachments and corruption scandals have made headlines. For instance, former President Dilma Rousseff was impeached in 2016.
She faced charges of manipulating government accounts. Before her, President Fernando Collor also faced impeachment in 1992.
These past incidents highlight Brazil’s complex and often fraught relationship between politics and the judiciary.
The recent case against Bolsonaro adds another chapter to this ongoing narrative.