Senators threaten Bolsonaro with a new hearings committee

A year ago, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues of Amapá collected signatures in order to open a congressional hearings committee to investigate the Jair Bolsonaro administration’s pandemic response. His efforts led to a six-month investigation into the nuts and bolts of the government’s Covid policies, which resulted in 81 indictment requests – including accusations of crimes against humanity made against the president.

But the Covid hearings have ended up being a damp squib, with a pro-Bolsonaro prosecutor general sitting on the indictment requests and public opinion no longer caring about the scandals senators revealed. Now, Mr. Rodrigues wants to take a second swing at Mr. Bolsonaro.

He claims to have amassed enough signatures to open an inquiry committee to scrutinize alleged influence-peddling and corruption within the Education Ministry. And while Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco has been averse to any move that rocks the government’s boat, a Supreme Court ruling last year may force him into creating the committee.

Congressional hearings committees last for 90 days, though lawmakers have...