Brazil’s electoral court TSE resumes trial of Jair Bolsonaro

The trial of the Aije (Electoral Judicial Investigation Action) against former president Jair Bolsonaro resumes on Thursday at the TSE (Superior Electoral Court).

The trial was previously suspended after reading the vote by reporting Justice, Benedito Gonçalves, who recommended Bolsonaro’s disqualification from running for 8 years starting from the 2022 election.

During the trial, the court will hear the votes of several ministers, including the TSE’s vice president and the Electoral Court president.

One of the magistrates may request additional time to analyze the case, which could potentially postpone the trial by up to 30 days.

The case revolves around Bolsonaro’s meeting with ambassadors in July 2022, during which he questioned the integrity of the electoral system, expressed doubts about electronic ballot boxes, and criticized higher court judges.

TV Brasil broadcasted the meeting.

On the first day of the trial, the rapporteur presented a detailed report on the action, followed by oral arguments from the representatives of the Democratic Labor Party (PDT) and Bolsonaro’s defense.

The debate included discussions about a draft found in the house of former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, with the PDT arguing its relevance to the case.

On the second day of the trial, the rapporteur’s vote was read, emphasizing that Bolsonaro’s speeches at the meeting exhibited a “dangerous flirtation with a coup d’état.”

The rapporteur criticized Bolsonaro’s claims of electoral fraud, stating that they contributed to the discrediting of the TSE.

The inclusion of the draft in the case was defended by the rapporteur, citing the need to analyze the meeting within its context.

The trial will continue with the remaining ministers voting on the matter, determining the outcome of the Aije against Bolsonaro.