NO CHANCE

Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro Banned From Running for Office for 8 Years

Of seven judges, four voted against Bolsonaro in the non-criminal trial, which found him guilty of undermining the country’s voting system and abusing power in office.

Brazil’s top electoral court reached a majority on Friday to bar former President Jair Bolsonaro from running for office for eight years over his claims of election fraud in last year’s presidential election. Out of seven judges, four voted against Bolsonaro in the non-criminal trial, which found him guilty of undermining the country’s voting system and abusing power in office. In November 2022, the far-right nationalist narrowly lost to leftist rival President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva and failed to concede defeat. Although he appeared to OK the peaceful transition by telling his supporters to stand down from their protests a couple days later, he continued to challenge the election outcome. The same month, his allies filed a complaint with electoral authorities over supposed issues with the country’s voting machines. Friday’s vote is still waiting on two more judges to vote, as the third has already casted in favor of Bolsonaro. He won’t be able to seek office until 2030, voiding any possible plans to run for a Senate seat in 2026. “It’s unfair to me, for God’s sake,” he told reporters on Thursday.