Brazil's Public Prosecutor's Office has charged Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro with “coercion” for his efforts to influence a court case against his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro. Image: Eduardo Bolsonaro.
(The Post News)– Brazil’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has charged Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro with “coercion” for his efforts to influence a court case against his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro.
In a statement released Monday, the Attorney General’s Office alleged that Bolsonaro Junior repeatedly acted to subject the interests of the republic to personal and family agendas, exposing Brazil to the risk of foreign sanctions, Daily Post reported.
The charges come just weeks after his father, the former president, was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his 2022 election defeat. The prosecution accuses Eduardo and an associate of “threatening judicial and other authorities” with the use of US sanctions in an attempt to secure a favorable verdict.
However, Eduardo Bolsonaro, who recently relocated to the US earlier this year, claimed he is living in exile to avoid arrest if he returns to Brazil. He rejected the accusations as “bogus,” calling it “absurd” to suggest he obstructed justice. Writing on the social platform X, he said he first learned of the charges through media reports and claimed the timing only showcases ongoing political persecution.
Eduardo Publicly Lobbied DC Support
Eduardo has publicly lobbied Washington for support, meeting allies of former US president Donald Trump, who has described the elder Bolsonaro’s conviction as a witch hunt. According to the prosecutors, they will also seek financial compensation for damages linked to the alleged crimes.
He has been a vocal critic of Brazil’s judiciary and a key figure in international efforts to rally support for his father. The grandson of former military ruler João Batista Figueiredo, businessman Paulo Figueiredo was named as a co-defendant in the case.
Meanwhile, thousands of Brazilians took to the streets this weekend. They protested controversial parliamentary efforts that would see the former leader pardoned for an unsuccessful coup attempt, as well as raise the bar for future criminal proceedings against politicians.
The massive anti-corruption protests, which took place in cities across all of Brazil’s 26 states and federal districts, come as Bolsonaro and his allies work to negate his 27-year sentence for his role in the 2023 uprising that sought to overturn his electoral loss to current Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro himself is currently on house arrest while his legal team works through the appeals process.
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