Brazil's Supreme Court Orders Bolsonaro to Testify on Riot Allegations
Date
4/16/2023 6:00:47 AM
(MENAFN) Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been ordered by the Supreme Court of Brazil to testify about his alleged role in the January 8 riots. These riots saw protestors storming various government buildings in protest against Bolsonaro's election defeat. The ruling was made by Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Friday, in response to a petition by Brazil's top prosecutor. The prosecutor argued that Bolsonaro's testimony would be crucial in investigating the riots, which President Lula da Silva has accused Bolsonaro of masterminding in an attempted coup.
According to the judge's order, Bolsonaro must provide his testimony to federal police within 10 days. It is worth noting that the former president was in Florida at the time of the riots and has repeatedly denied any involvement in the unrest. In fact, he flew to the US just before his term expired at the end of December 2022, refusing to stay for the transition ceremony at Lula's inauguration on January 1.
Bolsonaro lost his re-election bid in October and challenged the result, alleging that the voting machines used in the contest were prone to fraud. This led to thousands of his supporters protesting for months, with the unrest culminating in the breaches of Brazil's Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace on January 8. Some of the rioters even called for a military coup to prevent Lula from assuming power.
The order for Bolsonaro to testify has raised questions about his potential involvement in the riots and the safety of Brazil's democratic institutions. It remains to be seen what Bolsonaro will say in his testimony and what impact it will have on the ongoing investigation. However, one thing is clear: Brazil's democracy is at a crossroads, and the government must take swift action to ensure that such unrest does not occur again.
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