Brazil: Bolsonaro 'expects' Supreme Court to drop investigation into police meddling

Brazil's president issued a statement saying he did not seek to influence key police appointments, as his former justice minister alleged when resigning, and that he expected the country's top court to absolve him.

Date 26.05.2020

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro expects the Supreme Court to decide to halt an investigation into Bolsonaro's alleged interference in police matters.

. . .

The Supreme Court's investigation is still in its initial stages. The court didn't respond to Bolsonaro's statement. If the case heads to trial, Bolsonaro would have to give up office for 180 days as defendant.

Allegations against Bolsonaro had gathered steam last week when the Supreme Court released a video of a ministerial meeting in which the President said he was going to "change" security officials or even ministers to prevent his family and friends from being "screwed." Bolsonaro said that he was referring to his "personal security" during this meeting and denied allegations of meddling in police appointments. Although Bolsonaro doesn't appear to directly implicate himself in the video, the expletive-laden tone amid a national health crisis still cast him in a difficult light.

An allegation turns into a political scam

Brazil's attorney general opened a criminal investigation into the matter in April when Sergio Moro, then Brazil's minister of justice, called a press conference to allege that Bolsonaro had fired Mauricio Valeixo, the federal police head, to appoint a person who would illegally share reports with him. Moro resigned in protest after making the allegations.

More:
https://www.dw.com/en/brazil-bolsonaro-expects-supreme-court-to-drop-investigation-into-police-meddling/a-53565719

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