A panel of Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday voted to put federal lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro on trial for allegedly seeking the assistance of U.S. President Donald Trump to derail criminal proceedings against his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, who was convicted in September of plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election.
Justices Alexandre de Moraes, Flávio Dino and Cristiano Zanin voted to accept coercion charges brought by Brazil’s Prosecutor General, with Justice Cármen Lúcia yet to cast her vote.
If confirmed, the decision would open a criminal trial against the younger Bolsonaro, who relocated to the United States earlier this year.
Prosecutors allege Eduardo Bolsonaro attempted to pressure U.S. authorities to intervene in Brazil’s judicial process, arguing he “repeatedly sought to subordinate the interests of Brazil and the entire society to his own personal and family agenda.”
Eduardo has publicly taken credit for encouraging the Trump administration to raise tariffs on Brazilian imports to 50% in retaliation for the case against his father.
Jair Bolsonaro, who forged close ties with Trump while both were in office, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for orchestrating what prosecutors say was a plot to overturn his election defeat.
Trump has dismissed the case as a “witch hunt” and last month imposed sanctions on Justice Moraes, who oversees the investigation into the former Brazilian leader.
Speaking to Reuters, Eduardo Bolsonaro denied that his efforts in the United States were aimed at securing his father’s acquittal.
Instead, he claimed his goal was to pressure Brazil’s Supreme Court to punish officials he accused of violating the country’s constitution.
The Supreme Court is expected to finalize the vote in the coming days, potentially setting the stage for one of the most politically sensitive trials in Brazil since the Bolsonaro family left office.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
