Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, is facing a rough patch in his life. Despite receiving an invitation to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, he may not be able to attend due to his passport being confiscated by Brazil’s Supreme Court as part of an investigation into whether he tried to stage a coup after losing re-election in 2022.
Bolsonaro is currently facing three separate criminal investigations and is expected to be at the center of one of the highest-profile trials in Brazil’s history. He has accused a Brazilian Supreme Court justice, Alexandre de Moraes, of censoring conservative voices and politically persecuting him.
In an interview, Bolsonaro expressed his hope that Trump, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg’s push for free speech could somehow transform the political landscape in Brazil. He also mentioned that he was delighted when Zuckerberg said his company would “work with President Trump to push back against” foreign governments that want to “censor more.”
However, Brazilian officials took Zuckerberg’s statement as a shot across the bow, and Justice Moraes warned that social networks could only operate in Brazil if they follow Brazilian law, “regardless of the bravado of big tech executives.”
Bolsonaro’s legal and political challenges are far from over. He is accused of crimes in three separate cases, including taking money from the sale of jewelry he received as state gifts, participating in a plot to falsify his Covid-19 vaccination records, and planning a coup.
The federal police have released two reports detailing their accusations, including that Bolsonaro personally edited a decree for a national state of emergency designed to prevent the election’s winner, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, from taking office.
Bolsonaro has denied any involvement in a coup plot, but admitted having discussed the decree. He also denied knowing about a plot to assassinate Lula, his running mate, and Justice Moraes.
Brazil’s attorney general is weighing whether to indict Bolsonaro, which would likely lead to a high-profile trial this year and a potential prison sentence. Bolsonaro’s future is uncertain, and he may not be able to avoid prison.
