Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is facing increasing legal scrutiny as police investigate his personal finances and communications. Additionally, a former aide who is currently in jail is considering testifying about his involvement in a Rolex-peddling scheme allegedly orchestrated by Bolsonaro himself.
Bolsonaro, a far-right former army captain, narrowly lost the presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva last year. Since then, Bolsonaro has made baseless claims of electoral fraud and his supporters even invaded government buildings on January 8. As a result, he has faced a congressional inquiry and multiple police investigations overseen by the Supreme Court. Some of his close allies have expressed concerns that he may end up in prison.
In the latest development, the Supreme Court has authorized investigators to access confidential phone and bank records of Bolsonaro and his wife. This ruling will provide police with greater ability to investigate the various allegations of wrongdoing that Bolsonaro is facing.
During a televised congressional probe, a computer programmer revealed that Bolsonaro had asked him to tamper with an electronic voting machine in order to undermine faith in the electoral system. The hacker, Walter Delgatti, claimed that Bolsonaro offered him a pardon if he faced legal repercussions. Bolsonaro admitted to the meeting but denied the accusations.
Furthermore, Bolsonaro’s former right-hand man, Mauro Cid, is reportedly planning to confess his involvement in crimes related to the alleged sale of jewelry gifted by foreign governments. Cid’s lawyer initially stated that he would accuse Bolsonaro of being the mastermind behind the racket, but later clarified that Cid would only discuss his role in selling a single Rolex watch.
The mounting legal pressure indicates that Bolsonaro’s legal troubles are far from over.