Brazil’s Justice Minister, Flávio Dino, announced that the government would assess the possibility of demanding compensation from former President Jair Bolsonaro following his disqualification from politics for eight years due to abuse of power.
Dino, a close ally of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, stated that the court’s decision highlights the abusive attacks on the justice system and legal order perpetrated by Bolsonaro.
The government will request the Government Attorney General’s Office to analyze the feasibility of seeking compensation for the damages caused by Bolsonaro to the judiciary and society.
Bolsonaro’s political rights were revoked after being found guilty of abusing power during the election campaign, in which Lula defeated him.
The trial focused on a meeting organized by Bolsonaro with foreign ambassadors, where he discredited the transparency of the electoral system and democracy itself.
The court ruled that Bolsonaro committed crimes such as abusing political power, improper use of public property and media, and disseminating misleading information.
Minister Alexandre Padilha, responsible for Institutional Relations, considered the conviction against Bolsonaro as the first step towards holding him accountable for the crimes committed.
Padilha emphasized the need for further investigation and sanctions.
He stated that Lula’s government aims to unite and rebuild Brazil after the polarizing elections, focusing on overcoming the damage caused by Bolsonaro’s attacks on democratic institutions and processes.
The government’s interest lies in Bolsonaro’s ineligibility until 2030 and in emphasizing his role in undermining democracy and rejecting the election results.
Lula’s allies argue that Bolsonaro’s attacks on democracy and refusal to accept his electoral defeat contributed to the attempted coup on January 8, when his supporters stormed government buildings.