Ministers of the Electoral Court evaluate that Bolsonaro's ineligibility is a 'signal' for new convictions

247 - Ministers of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) believe that the ineligibility imposed on Jair Bolsonaro (PL) on Friday (30th) opens up the possibility for the former president to be punished in other actions related to alleged crimes committed during last year's electoral campaign. According to journalist Carolina Brígido from UOL, court ministers reportedly said that the judgment was a "signal" that the TSE will be uncompromising in regard to electoral rule violations attributed to Bolsonaro.

In addition to the action that resulted in Bolsonaro's ineligibility, there are 15 other cases pending in the court. During the trial of the first case against the former president, the discussions among the ministers in the plenary reinforced the jurisprudence regarding the spread of fake news and attacks on the Brazilian electoral system.

At least two more actions against Bolsonaro at the TSE deal with the same subject. The precedent mentioned by the majority of the ministers who voted for the conviction dates back to October 2021 when the Electoral Court revoked the mandate and made the state deputy Fernando Francischini ineligible for disseminating fake news against electronic voting machines. According to the majority of the court, Bolsonaro's conduct followed the same pattern.

The precedent established by Francischini's case and reaffirmed in the plenary could support other convictions of Bolsonaro, according to the court ministers. In one of the actions, Bolsonaro is accused of attacking the electoral system. Seven other individuals are involved in the same action, including the vice presidential candidate on the same ticket, Walter Braga Netto, deputies Carla Zambelli and Bia Kicis, and one of the former president's sons, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.

In another action, Bolsonaro is accused of spreading fake news. Forty-seven other individuals are being investigated in the same process, including Carlos, Flavio, and Eduardo Bolsonaro, as well as former ministers Ricardo Salles from the Ministry of the Environment and Mario Frias from the Ministry of Culture.

"The rapporteur of the actions, Minister Benedito Gonçalves, intends to schedule other actions by November, when he leaves the position of Electoral Justice ombudsman. If punished again, Bolsonaro will remain ineligible for the same period of eight years. The same punishment can be applied to the other individuals involved in the actions with the former president," concludes the article.