A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has authorized an investigation into fascist former President Jair Bolsonaro's role in the attempted overthrow of Brazil's newly elected government on January 8. Closely resembling the Trumpist insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, Brazilian rightists stormed government buildings and vandalized the offices there. Called the "Trump of South America," Bolsonaro appears to be following the Malignant Loser's playbook by alleging "infiltrators" caused the rioting, and by casting doubt on the election which removed him from office:
"According to the text of his ruling, Justice Alexandre de Moraes granted the request from the prosecutor-general’s office, which cited a video Bolsonaro posted on Facebook two days after the riot. The video claimed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wasn’t voted into office, but rather was chosen by the Supreme Court and Brazil’s electoral authority.
Prosecutors in the recently formed group to combat anti-democratic acts argued earlier Friday that, although Bolsonaro posted the video after the riot, its content was sufficient to justify investigating his conduct beforehand. Bolsonaro deleted it the morning after he first posted it.
Otherwise, Bolsonaro has refrained from commenting on the election since his Oct. 30 defeat. He repeatedly stoked doubt about the reliability of the electronic voting system in the run-up to the vote, filed a request afterward to annul millions of ballots cast using the machines and never conceded." (our emphasis)
Bolsonaro is currently in Orlando, FL, and received treatment last week for alleged abdominal pains, but has been discharged from the hospital. It's unclear whether Brazil will seek the extradition of their former President, and whether the U.S. will force Bolsonaro to leave. Ironically, Brazil may get justice following the failed coup there faster than we will here.
(photo: A worried man. Mauro Piemtel/AFP)
