Name: Brazil’s Bolsonaro Barred From Running for Office for 8 Years
Uploaded: 2023-07-01T17:06:05.000Z
Description: Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's political career faced a major setback on Friday as Brazil's federal electoral court (TSE) barred him from public office until 2030 over his challenge to last year's election results.

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the U.S. and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

China’s Broken Promises Loom Over New Trade Deals

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Californians React as Trump Calls for Gas Tax Suspension

Arleen Richards is NTD's legal correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers all major legal stories. Arleen holds a Doctor of Law (J.D.).


Arleen Richards

Federal Agencies Announce ‘Summer Surge’ of Law Enforcement into DC Ahead of 250th Anniversary

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Trump Administration Reports Zero Border Releases

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

US to Host 1st Ever World Cup Final Halftime Show, Featuring Shakira, Madonna

Savannah Pointer is a politics reporter for The Epoch Times. She can be reached at savannah.pointer@epochtimes.us

Savannah Hulsey Pointer

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's National Security Correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

Health News

Texas Children's Hospital to Open First-Ever Detransition Clinic Under Deal With DOJ

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Citizens Honor Police for Their Service and Sacrifice

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Trump ‘Projecting American Influence and Leadership’ on Iran Issue in Beijing: China Expert

Chris Bob is a reporter for NTD and a host of "Profiles of Service." He is also a small business owner. Chris graduated from Union College with a concentration in politics and religion in Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Chris Bob

Senate Panel Advances Crypto Regulation Bill

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

Lawmakers Weigh ‘Sanctuary’ Polices After Woman’s Death in Virginia

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 15)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 14)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 13)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 12)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 11)

Don Ma is an anchor and senior business correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Don is the anchor and producer of NTD's "Business Matters," which airs weekdays at 4:30 pm ET.

Don Ma

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 10)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 9)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 8)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 7)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 6)

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

Fast, compelling, first-hand news from China. China in Focus airs Monday–Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

China in Focus

China Sends Warships to Pacific Drill as Tensions With Japan Rise

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

We present news that is truthful and based on facts, outside of the political fog. Instead of focusing on the negative things happening around us, our mission is to give our viewers a good morning with empathetic and uplifting stories. Our aim is to provide an antidote to negativity by shining a light on the best side of people. We speak to inspiring people who positively impact communities, pursue topics that represent our common human values, and will never miss an opportunity to bring you heartwarming stories.

NTD Good Morning

2 US Embassy Personnel Assigned to Cartel Case Killed in Car Accident

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

Gunman Kills 8 Children, Including 7 of His Own, in Louisiana Mass Shooting

Flora Hua is a reporter based at NTD's global headquarters in New York City, where she covers China news, U.S.-China relations, and human rights issues. Flora primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus."  

Flora Hua

Trump: Seized Iranian Ship May Have ‘A Gift From China’

Joseph Lord is a congressional reporter for The Epoch Times.


Joseph Lord

Aldgra Fredly is a freelance writer covering U.S. and Asia Pacific news for The Epoch Times.

Aldgra Fredly

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Hospitalized in Critical Condition: Spokesman

Wildfires Across Georgia and Florida Have Destroyed Nearly 50 Homes and Are Forcing Evacuations

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Warns of China Hacks via Routers, Smart Devices

Juliet Song is an international correspondent exclusively covering China news for NTD. She primarily contributes to NTD's "China in Focus," covering U.S.-China relations, the Chinese regime's human rights abuses, and domestic unrest inside China.

Juliet Song

2 Americans Among Suspected Communist Rebels Killed in Clashes With Troops, Philippine Officials Say

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

3 Dead in Suspected Hantavirus Outbreak on Cruise Ship in Atlantic Ocean: WHO

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's political career faced a major setback on Friday as Brazil's federal electoral court (TSE) barred him from public office until 2030 over his challenge to last year's election results.

In a ruling Friday, the 68-year old conservative firebrand was convicted by the court for abuse of power and misuse of the media when, on the eve of Brazil's 2022 election, he publicly called into question the reliability of the country's electronic voting system.

Specifically, Bolsonaro was accused of undermining democracy in Brazil by claiming that electronic ballots were vulnerable to fraud and hacking. Five of the electoral court's seven judges voted to banish him from politics for eight years, while two voted against.

Bolsonaro's lawyers, who have argued that his remarks had no impact on the election results, said Friday that they would appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.

If the verdict stands, however, Bolsonaro will be prohibited from being a presidential candidate in the 2026 election, though he'll be eligible to run in 2030. He'll also be barred from taking part in municipal elections in 2024 and 2028.

Bolsonaro, an admirer of former President Donald Trump, vowed to continue advancing conservative politics in Brazil and on Friday called the TSE ruling a "stab in the back."

If the verdict stands on appeal, his leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will not have to face his main foe if he runs for re-election in 2026.

In October 2022, Lula narrowly defeated Bolsonaro in a runoff presidential election. Members of Lula's administration celebrated Friday's ruling.

"Some important messages come from the TSE trial: lying is not a legitimate tool for exercising a public function and politics is not governed by the law of the jungle," Justice Minister Flavio Dino said in a tweet. "Democracy has overcome its toughest stress test in decades."

The electoral court's decision to bar Bolsonaro from seeking public office for eight years was in part based on his controversial decision to summon foreign ambassadors several weeks before the first round of the 2022 election and make critical claims against Brazil's electronic voting system.

One of the judges who cast a vote against Bolsonaro argued that with the move to summon the ambassadors, Bolsonaro tried to get an unfair advantage in the election and made Brazil appear like "a little banana republic."

Bolsonaro, a former army captain, faces other legal troubles in Brazil in the form of multiple criminal investigations that could land him in prison.

One of these is a probe into his COVID-19 vaccination records, another is an investigation into alleged voter suppression, as well as allegations of embezzlement of foreign gifts.

Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing in those cases.
<h2>Bolsonaro's Home Raided</h2>
Brazilian police in May raided Bolsonaro's home, arrested his aides, and seized his cell phone as part of an investigation into his COVID-19 vaccination records.

Bolsonaro, who vowed never to get a COVID-19 vaccine, was registered as vaccinated in health records made public in February.

Federal police had reportedly <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/bolsonaros-home-raided-and-aides-arrested-in-brazil-vaccine-probe_5238886.html">found evidence</a> of tampering with Bolsonaro's vaccine records, according to Supreme Court documents.

Bolsonaro confirmed the raid on his home in Brasilia to journalists and reiterated that he had never taken a COVID-19 vaccine. He also denied any role in the alleged forging of documents.

“For my part, there was nothing falsified. I didn’t take the vaccine. Period,” he said.

Bolsonaro’s personal security officers Max Guilherme and Sergio Cordeiro, who have stayed on as part of his detail after he left office, were also arrested in the operation.

They were accused of falsifying their vaccine records before flying with Bolsonaro to the United States in December 2022.

The raid on Bolsonaro's home sparked comments drawing a parallel between the FBI executing a search warrant at Trump's home in Florida amid allegations that he mishandled classified documents.

Trump has since been indicted in the case, with the former president denying any wrongdoing and describing the actions against him as a political "witch hunt."
<h2>'Leader of the Opposition'</h2>
Bolsonaro attended the U.S. Conservative Political Action Conference on March 4, 2023, where he told The Epoch Times in an interview that he feared that actions would be taken to hamstring his political involvement.

He said he planned to "once again be the leader of the opposition to the current government" after returning from the United States to Brazil later that month, while warning he might face action from the judicial branch.

“I have not been indicted. There’s nothing against me when it comes to corruption. But, unfortunately, there might be some forceful measure taken against me, which would be completely unfair,” he said.

Bolsonaro said in the interview that many congressmen support him and are against the “communism” and “corruption” of the new administration in Brazil.

Lula's victory was fiercely contested by Bolsonaro's supporters, which led to Jan. 8 demonstrations and the breach of Brazil's federal buildings in the capital.

That incident also drew parallels to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach, which came as Trump supporters called into question the legitimacy of the 2020 election, which Trump continues to insist was "rigged."

<em>Autumn Spredemann, Roman Balmakov, and Reuters contributed to this report.</em>

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/brazils-bolsonaro-barred-from-running-for-office-for-8-years_5367646.html">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Videos

04_Top Stories

Latest Clips

Jair Bolsonaro

Americas

Management

Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.

Tom Ozimek

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.