Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been barred from running for office again as a court ruled that he abused his power and cast doubts on the country’s electronic voting system. The decision will forbid Jair Bolsonaro from running for office until 2030 as four of the seven judges on the nation's highest electoral court said that the former president abused his authority.
“This decision will end Bolsonaro’s chances of being president again, and he knows it,” said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. “After this, he will try to stay out of jail, elect some of his allies to keep his political capital, but it is very unlikely he will ever return to the presidency.”
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The case focussed on a meeting where Jair Bolsonaro had said that the country’s electronic voting system was rigged.
“Bolsonaro abused the powers of his office by calling the meeting: check. He used government staffers and buildings with an electoral objective: check. And he mixed the country’s interests with those of his campaign: check,” the court said.
Although, the former president will be able to appeal the judgement in the country's supreme court where he faces criminal investigations.
{{/usCountry}}Although, the former president will be able to appeal the judgement in the country's supreme court where he faces criminal investigations.
{{/usCountry}}“This is an injustice against me, my God in heaven! Show me something concrete I have done against democracy,” Jair Bolsonaro said reacting to the judgement.
“Perhaps my crime was doing the right thing for four years," he added.