Politics

Bolsonaro allies accuse Supreme Court of foul play. They may have a point

In the name of 'saving democracy,' one Supreme Court justice resorts to questionable methods in a probe against pro-Bolsonaro businessmen

Bolsonaro allies accuse Supreme Court of foul play. They may have a point
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes is also Brazil’s chief electoral justice — and has been a lightning rod for far-right vitriol. Photo: Pedro Ladeira/Folhapress

Since taking office as president in January 2019, Jair Bolsonaro has made Brazil’s institutions less transparent, reduced the relationship between Congress and the government to a clientelistic bond, weakened accountability bodies, and continues to hint at the possibility of overthrowing the upcoming election if he loses the vote. 

By many accounts, Mr. Bolsonaro is considered a bonafide threat to democracy. But on the grounds of containing the president’s penchant for authoritarianism, many actors have bent the rules themselves — sometimes to further their own self-interest rather than the well-being of the Republic.

That was the case two years ago, when the then-House Speaker and Senate President tried to change the Constitution in order to allow themselves another term in charge of both congressional houses. In backstage negotiations, they argued that they served as “guardrails” against Mr. Bolsonaro’s anti-democratic charge.

More recently, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes authorized a Federal Police operation in the name of democracy, targeting pro-Bolsonaro business owners allegedly plotting a coup. The problem is, the justice’s methods were not very democratic, either.

Last week, he greenlit search and seizure operations at addresses linked to eight businessmen who support President Jair Bolsonaro. The operation was motivated by a news report containing leaked text messages exchanged by these high-profile businessmen in a private WhatsApp group. 

The texts show that at least some of the participants advocated a Bolsonaro-led coup d’état should Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva win in October’s elections. 

In his decision, Justice Moraes subpoenaed the suspects, permitted access to their private banking records, froze their assets, and ordered their social media accounts be blocked.

After backlash from the legal community and conservative politicians in the press, Justice Moraes made his ruling public.

“The conduct reported in these records and identified by the Federal Police [… reveals] the potential for financing illegal digital activities and inciting the practice of undemocratic acts,” it reads.

It is certain that President Bolsonaro will use Independence Day celebrations on September 7 as a platform for his putschist views, including not recognizing a potential electoral defeat to Lula. Representatives of Brazilian poll workers fear the event might be a form of dress rehearsal for an attack against the electoral system in the molds of the U.S. Capitol...

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