Elected on an anti-corruption platform, Jair Bolsonaro is now under investigation. The new Justice Minister is confirmed. And the threat of Covid-19 to Brazil’s meat industry.
The president officially under investigation
After 16 months in office, President Jair Bolsonaro has been formally placed under investigation by the Supreme Court. Justice Celso de Mello accepted a request from the prosecutor general to examine accusations made by former Justice Minister Sergio Moro that the president tried to tamper with federal investigations. The list of potential crimes committed by Mr. Bolsonaro includes misrepresentation on a public document, corruption, malfeasance, obstruction of justice, and influence peddling.
Why it matters. The investigation could end with an indictment request that, if accepted by two-thirds of the House, would suspend Jair Bolsonaro from office for six months.
- In his decision to allow an investigation, Justice Mello said that “no one, not even the head of state, is above the Constitution.”
Backdoor. While being under investigation is certainly a nuisance for the president, the prosecutor general carefully crafted his request as to allow for the possibility of also going after Mr. Moro, with the crimes of defamation and libel also being looked into. Brasília insiders, however, say that...