Bolsonaro faces uncertain political future as Brazil trial starts
Al JazeeraAPR 2023
While this ruling alone will not remove the threat to the Brazilian democracy posed by the far-right "bolsonaristas," this is indeed an encouraging step ahead to promote national reconciliation and restore faith in institutions. Bolsonaro has long attempted to undermine Brazil's democratic establishment — casting ill-founded doubts over the country's voting machines, insulting Supreme Court justices, and emboldening his coup-mongering supporters. Hopefully, his ban will open the way for moderate contenders on the right.
You don't have to be a Bolsonaro supporter to see that Lula is using the judicial system as a means to punish his predecessor. Lula is a leftist career politician who was convicted on corruption charges before they were stunningly reversed by activist judges. Right-leaning figures across the nation are being censored, and checks and balances are being curtailed as the legal system is increasingly used as a weapon against opponents. We ought to be skeptical about charges against Bolsonaro in this environment.