Home America South America Brazil’s Top Court Orders Inquiry Into Allegations Against President

Brazil’s Top Court Orders Inquiry Into Allegations Against President

The judge has authorised 60 days to question ex-justice minister Moro about his accusations against Bolsonaro

Brazil’s Supreme Court on April 28 ordered an investigation into accusations that President Jair Bolsonaro sought to “interfere” in law enforcement investigations for political gains. Justice Celso de Mello has given federal police 60 days to question former Justice and Public Security Minister Sergio Moro about his allegations, which came as a shock to Bolsonaro’s administration following his resignation on April 24. 

The findings, under the supervision of the attorney general, could result in an appeal for impeachment and a political trial against Mr Bolsonaro or indictment charges against Mr Moro for giving false testimony. Moro, a former anti-corruption judge, resigned after his repeated clashes with President Bolsonaro over firing the federal police’s director general Mauricio Veleixo for personal and political gains. According to the Supreme Court judge’s document, obtained by the AFP news agency, there is a list of seven accusations against Bolsonaro including obstruction of justice and corruption.

Last week, Mr Bolsonaro fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta who had been supporting the isolation and lockdown strategy to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country. These chain of events have stirred up a political turmoil in Latin America’s largest economy. According to the COVID-19 data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, as on April 28, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Brazil is at 67,446 with 4,603 deaths.