CNN —
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s proceedings connected charges of maltreatment of governmental powerfulness and misuse of nationalist media began successful the country’s highest electoral tribunal connected Thursday successful Brasilia.
The charges stem from a gathering Bolsonaro held with overseas diplomats successful July 2022, successful which helium is accused of spreading mendacious accusation astir Brazil’s electoral strategy and bringing its credibility into question – a strategy the erstwhile president utilized successful his reelection campaign.
If recovered guilty, Bolsonaro could beryllium ruled ineligible to tally for nationalist bureau for up to 8 years.
In Thursday’s tribunal session, a study from Judge Benedito Gonçalves connected the lawsuit was work aloud and some sides presented their arguments. The proceedings has present been adjourned until adjacent week. Proceedings could beryllium extended by months if immoderate of the judges petition much information.
The acold close Bolsonaro has said the charges are not justified, and trivialized the proceedings successful an exclusive interrogation with CNN Brasil connected Wednesday, describing them arsenic a “storm successful a solid of water.”
“It was conscionable discussed with them [the ambassadors] however the electoral strategy worked. I didn’t notation the word’ fraud’ determination regarding aboriginal elections,” helium said, adding: “I spoke of the Federal Police enquiry successful November 2018 that, to date, has not been concluded. Only that. What is the occupation discussing this matter?”
According to the study from Judge Gonçalves, the erstwhile president allegedly said the 2022 elections mightiness beryllium compromised owed to fraud successful his gathering with the ambassadors.
Bolsonaro besides allegedly said that successful 2018 voting machines changed voters’ choices to payment his opponent, that the Brazilian voting machines are not auditable, and besides insinuated that electoral and judicial authorities were protecting “terrorists,” the study added.
Such claims of flaws successful the electoral strategy person each been denied by Brazil’s electoral authorities. The livestream of the 2022 meeting, which was erstwhile disposable done authoritative channels, was taken down by YouTube for not complying with its fake quality policy.
The lawsuit began with a suit brought connected by Brazil’s Democratic Labor Party against some Bolsonaro and Walter Braga Netto, his moving mate successful the 2022 elections.
Bolsonaro mislaid past year’s predetermination by the narrowest borderline successful decades against existent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Riots connected January 8 saw pro-Bolsonaro protesters breaking into authorities buildings successful Brasilia, pursuing weeks of demonstrations implicit the predetermination results.
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