Brazil’s ex-President Jair Bolsonaro barred from running for political office until 2030; Here’s what happened

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro has been barred from running for political office until 2030 by the country's highest electoral court. The court reportedly found him guilty of abusing his power and misusing public media during the 2022 election campaign. This verdict effectively ends any possibility of Bolsonaro making a political comeback in the upcoming 2026 election.

Five of the seven judges ruled against the former president, while two dissented. As an outcome, the former President is now prohibited from holding any public office for the next 8 years. The case against Bolsonaro stems from a meeting he had with foreign ambassadors in July 2022.

During the meeting, he spread false information about Brazil's electoral system, questioning its credibility ahead of the contentious election. The meeting was live streamed on official television channels and YouTube. However, YouTube took down the live stream for violating its policy on fake news.

Judge Alexandre De Moraes stated that the verdict would demonstrate that Brazilian authorities do not tolerate «criminal extremism attacking the powers of the state, fake news, disinformation to try to deceive voters.» Bolsonaro has consistently denied any wrongdoing and plans to appeal the court's decision. Following his narrow defeat to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the 2022 election, Bolsonaro's supporters engaged in riots and broke into government buildings in Brasilia. The case at the Superior Electoral Court was initiated by Brazil's Democratic Labor Party, targeting both Bolsonaro and his running mate, Walter Braga Netto.