On Monday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro once again spoke out against the Supreme Court and essentially threatened a military response to an investigation into his Presidency. He said that the armed forces “would never follow absurd orders” to “remove a democratically elected president”. He said, “Us, military men from the armed forces, and I’m also a military man, hold true responsibility for democracy in our country.” Bolsonaro is under investigation by the Supreme Court for political interference in the police force.
Many of Bolsonaro’s supporters have stood behind him and on called for the Supreme Court and Congress to be shut down to allow for a return to a more authoritarian style of governance, like that seen in the military dictatorship that ruled over Brazil from 1964-1985. Bolsonaro, a former army captain, has repeatedly celebrated and defended the previous military regime, in spite of its numerous human rights abuses.
In accordance with this support, Bolsonaro has said, “We have the armed forces at the people's side: the side of order, democracy, liberty.” He has also said, “Enough interference. Were not allowing any more interference. Our patience is over.” While this does not amount to calling for a military takeover, his explicit support for measures to disempower the Supreme Court and Congress has strong anti-democratic undertones.
He doubled down on his criticism of and threats to the high court yesterday, when he denounced the Supreme Court’s “abuses” and undemocratic nature. Thus, he said, “It’s time to put everything in its rightful place,” saying that he could not “stay quiet while rights are being violated and ideas are being persecuted”.
Bolsonaro supporters have recently held large rallies, protesting against the Supreme Court and the Congress. In response, the court has also launched an investigation into these rallies, authorizing the arrest of the movement’s leaders and raids of their homes. In addition, it has issued subpoenas to gain access to the bank accounts and communication records of federal lawmakers who are allied with the president. The Supreme Court has also launched an inquiry into “libel and intimidation campaigns” by his supporters on social media.
Brazil Coverage:
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- Brazilian Mayors and Governors Defy President, Implement COVID-19 Lockdowns
- Bolsonaro Continues Offensive Against Quarantines, Warns Against Additional Measures
- Brazil’s Health Minister Clings Onto Job Despite Disagreeing With President Bolsonaro
- Brazilian Supreme Court Orders Investigation Into Political Interference by Bolsonaro
- Brazilian President Leads Yet Another Anti-Lockdown Protest
- Brazil Emerges as New Epicenter for COVID-19
- Brazilian Health Minister Resigns Less Than One Month After Predecessor Was Sacked
- Brazilian President Urges Supreme Court to End Political Interference Investigation
- Bolsonaro Decries Supreme Court Investigation Into Him, Compares It to Hitler’s Germany
- Bolsonaro Threatens to Withdraw From WHO, Government Stops Publishing COVID-19 Data
Bolsonaro has previously released a statement saying, “I never interfered in the work of the Federal Police. All statements to the contrary are frivolous. The testimonies of countless federal delegates confirm that I never asked any of them for information I expect responsibility and serenity in dealing with the matter.” The week prior to this statement, however, the Supreme Court released a recording of a ministerial meeting from April 22, in which Bolsonaro is seen saying that he wants to “change” security officials, their bosses, or even ministers to stop his family and friends from getting “screwed”.
The current situation stems from Justice and Public Security Minister Sergio Moro’s decision to resign in April, citing “political interference” and a lack of “autonomy” in the federal police after federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo was fired. Moro accused Bolsonaro of “breaking the promise of a carte blanche”. Bolsonaro sacked Valeixo as he wanted someone with whom he had “personal contact, whom he could call, ask for information, intelligence reports”. An anti-corruption judge also resigned on the same day just after Moro resigned.
Following Moro’s exit, the Supreme Court forced the President to withdraw the name of a family friend that he had nominated to run the federal police, saying that it would give him undue influence over law enforcement. However, Justice Alexandre de Moraes blocked the appointment of Alexandre Ramagem, who was the director of the Brazilian intelligence agency Abin.
It is amid this turmoil that the Brazilian Supreme Court ordered an investigation into Bolsonaro’s alleged interference in police investigations for political gain. In late April, Justice Celso de Mello gave the federal police 60 days to question former Justice and Public Security Minister Sergio Moro. Their findings will be presented to the attorney general, who could either request for a trial against Bolsonaro or an indictment against Moro for false testimony. An indictment of the president would have to be approved by the lower house of Brazil’s Congress.
In the days following the Supreme Court’s decision to launch an investigation into Bolsonaro, the President has participated in multiple anti-lockdown protests and demonstrations against the Supreme Court and the Congress outside the Presidential palace.
This week, Brazil's Attorney General, Augusto Aras, also called for an investigation into invasions of hospitals across the country after Bolsonaro called on citizens to storm hospitals to “show if the beds are occupied or not”. Bolsonaro claims that local politicians could be exaggerating the number of coronavirus cases and deaths. Civilians and state deputies, including individuals from Bolsonaro's party (PSL) invaded hospitals and took pictures of hospitals and patients without authorization.
Bolsonaro has called the coronavirus a “little flu”; he has repeatedly he stated his wish to reopen the economy at any cost; he sacked one health minister while another resigned of his own accord—both within the space of a month; he asked “so what?” when confronted with Brazil’s COVID-19 case count and death toll; he has threatened to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO); and the government has stopped publishing data on coronavirus deaths and infections.
Brazil is slowly crumbling under the simultaneous pressure of Bolsonaro’s undemocratic governance and his severely lacking response to the coronavirus pandemic. It now has close to 1 million cases, and over 45,000 deaths. Experts fear that the true numbers could be between twelve and fifteen times higher due to a lack of testing.