Investigation into Bolsonaro Family by Brazil’s Supreme Court
This week, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Flavio Dino initiated a probe into former President Jair Bolsonaro and his three oldest sons, focusing on possible irregularities related to the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reports emerged on Thursday detailing that Justice Dino’s investigation also targets Senators Flavio Bolsonaro and House Representative Eduardo Bolsonaro, among about 20 others, including various former officials and journalists.
The investigation stems from a Brazilian Federal Police petition. In late 2024, the STF authorized this action based on a lengthy 1,180-page report from the Brazilian Senate’s Parliamentary Committee on the pandemic. The report alleges numerous criminal activities linked to Bolsonaro and his administration during this critical period, suggesting that his actions may have involved fraudulent behavior and other serious crimes like incitement, public fund misuse, and crimes against humanity.
The Senate Committee’s report claimed that the issues described are tied to negative messaging about the virus and vaccines, which they believe contributed to increased fatalities in Brazil. Despite the serious allegations presented by the Senate CPI in 2021, the Brazilian Prosecutor’s Office had previously deemed that there wasn’t sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation against Bolsonaro back in July 2022.
Justice Dino noted that, following the most recent petition, there’s enough legal basis to kick off a police investigation into the incidents outlined. It highlighted that the Congressional inquiry presented compelling evidence of misdeeds, especially concerning contracts with companies engaged in illegal activities.
This investigation into Jair Bolsonaro marks the latest development in a series of judicial challenges he has faced since taking office in January 2023, particularly after being convicted recently. He was sentenced to over 27 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election, narrowly lost to current President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.
Following his conviction, the Brazilian federal court imposed a substantial financial penalty on Bolsonaro, who faced criticism for remarks perceived as racially insensitive. This week, it was also revealed that Bolsonaro received a skin cancer diagnosis after undergoing surgery to remove several lesions.
As it stands, former President Bolsonaro is barred from commenting publicly on the investigation due to a strict house arrest order imposed by STF Judge Alexandre de Moraes, which limits his communication severely.
In response to the new investigation, Senator Flávio Bolsonaro expressed discontent on social media, sharing previous headlines that illustrate instances where inquiries against his father had been archived or dismissed from 2020 to 2023. Another of Bolsonaro’s sons, Carlos, remarked sarcastically on social media about being placed in yet another inquiry.
Justice Flavio Dino, appointed in 2024 and formerly Minister of Justice under President Lula, is now at the forefront of this investigation. Recently, Dino took measures to prevent Brazilian banks from complying with foreign judicial orders without prior approval from the STF, seeking to protect against potential overreach regarding human rights concerns.
