How Jair Bolsonaro has tampered with accountability institutions

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro presents himself as a family man. Indeed, in the past two months, he has used his power to protect his loved ones. Here we are not talking about the impending nomination of his third son, Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, to the position of Brazilian ambassador to the U.S. Beyond that, Mr. Bolsonaro has directly interfered in three of the country’s most important agencies in the fight against corruption.

What do they have in common? All three have launched investigations into someone close to the president.

Last week, Mr. Bolsonaro surprised (and infuriated) members of the Federal Police after announcing that Ricardo Saadi, the superintendent of the force in Rio de Janeiro, would be replaced due to “productivity issues.” Marshals in the state have been investigating connections between Rio’s urban militias and money laundering schemes operating out of the state legislative assembly, a probe which includes Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the president’s eldest son.

Today, on the government’s Federal Register—which publishes every official decision made by the Executive branch—there...