Brazil Court Greenlights Probe of President’s Virus Response
Brazil Court Greenlights Probe of President’s Virus Response. The Supreme Court of Brazil allowed the Senate probe of President Jair Bolsonaro’s handling of the pandemic to proceed on Wednesday. The full court has still considering former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s political future as a possible influential successor to Bolsonaro. One of the judges had previously found that he had wrongfully sentenced to a graft lawsuit. Potentially restoring his eligibility to run for president again. The court voted 10-1 on Wednesday to uphold Justice Luis Roberto Barroso’s order that the Senate launch an investigation into Bolsonaro’s handling of the crisis after a sufficient number of senators had supported such a request.
The Senate president attempted to postpone the investigation by citing pandemic health constraints. Bolsonaro and his supporters say he is being falsely blamed for the rise in COVID-19 deaths in Brazil. On Monday, Brazil’s seven-day average death toll set a new high. The Senate investigation is an orchestrated political coup against the president. According to Senator Márcio Bittar, a Bolsonaro tweeted on Wednesday. He even cried foul as the Supreme Court has released decisions that go against him.
The Supreme Court rejected Bolsonaro request to reverse local limits:
Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. When the number of people who have died as a result of the pandemic rises. Economic problems still far from resolved at the same moment, his presidency is at odds with its congressional base over next year budget. The circumstances of the investigation do not help Bolsonaro. Last year, the Supreme Court rejected Bolsonaro request to reverse local limits aimed at slowing the implementation of COVID-19. A justice also suspended portions of four Bolsonaro decrees aimed at loosening weapons restrictions on Tuesday. The Brazilian president continues to oppose lockdowns.
More than 27 senators had signed a motion for the investigation. But Senate Rodrigo Pacheco had refrained from approving it citing health issues in the midst of the pandemic. On Wednesday, the court also began reviewing Justice Luiz Edson Fachin decision to overturn da Silva’s two corruption sentences. Early polls for the 2022 election show the 75-year-old socialist who ruled Brazil from 2003 to 2010.
