In a Monday ruling unsealed this morning, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes greenlit a criminal investigation into Senator Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of former President Jair Bolsonaro and, according to polls, the most formidable challenger to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October elections.
The investigation concerns a January 3 post Bolsonaro made on X, implying that Lula is guilty of crimes ranging from drug trafficking to electoral fraud.
The post came shortly after then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was captured by US forces. Bolsonaro paired an AI-generated image falsely depicting Maduro's arrest with one of Lula, writing: "Lula will be ratted out. This is the end of the São Paulo Forum: international drug and arms trafficking, money laundering, support for terrorists and dictatorships, rigged elections."
You’re missing out on the full story
Get smarter on Brazil and Latin America
Enjoy 7-day free trial now!The full picture. The sharpest takes. All in your inbox, every day:
- 🏆 Award-winning journalism, trusted worldwide
- 📊 Exclusive charts and analyses
- 🗃️ Archive access
- 💬 Commenting
