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Investigating judge votes for conviction of Eduardo Bolsonaro for coercion
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Crime & Justice

Investigating judge votes for conviction of Eduardo Bolsonaro for coercion

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Brazilian judge Alexandre de Moraes recommended the conviction of Eduardo Bolsonaro for coercion.
  • De Moraes stated Bolsonaro confessed to intervening with the White House to impose sanctions on magistrates judging his father, Jair Bolsonaro.
  • The defense argued Bolsonaro engaged only in "political dialogue" and that coercion requires violence or serious threats, which they claim did not occur.

Alexandre de Moraes, the investigating judge in the case against Eduardo Bolsonaro, has recommended that the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro be convicted of coercion. De Moraes asserted that Eduardo Bolsonaro himself admitted to traveling to the United States with the specific aim of lobbying the White House to implement sanctions against the magistrates presiding over his father's trial. The goal, according to the judge, was to prevent Jair Bolsonaro's conviction.

During his intervention, De Moraes presented video evidence of Eduardo Bolsonaro's statements and interviews, where he discussed his efforts in Washington to secure sanctions against Brazilian magistrates. "The threats materialized through sanctions against magistrates of this Court, against the Attorney General of the Republic, and against Brazil, through tariffs," De Moraes stated, referring to the alleged actions.

The threats materialized through sanctions against magistrates of this Court, against the Attorney General of the Republic, and against Brazil, through tariffs.

— Alexandre de MoraesDescribing how Eduardo Bolsonaro's alleged actions constituted coercion.

The defense team, led by public defender Esdras dos Santos Carvalho, contested the charges. They argued that Bolsonaro's actions constituted mere "political dialogue" with the U.S. government and that he lacked the authority to influence U.S. foreign policy. Furthermore, the defense contended that the crime of coercion necessitates the use of violence or grave threats, elements they believe were absent in Bolsonaro's conduct.

Judge De Moraes's recommendation is the first decision from the four judges on the First Chamber of the Supreme Court who will ultimately rule on the case. A conviction could result in a prison sentence ranging from one to four years. Eduardo Bolsonaro relocated to the United States in February 2025, citing a desire to maintain closer ties with the administration of then-President Donald Trump. The U.S. government had previously imposed sanctions on Brazilian Supreme Court magistrates who tried and convicted Jair Bolsonaro for alleged coup attempts, framing the trial as a "witch hunt."

political dialogue

— Esdras dos Santos CarvalhoThe public defender's characterization of Eduardo Bolsonaro's actions in the United States.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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