Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said he is “aware of the risks” of staying in the country but added he “can’t back down” as mounting legal troubles raise the prospect of his arrest.
(Bloomberg) — Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro said he is “aware of the risks” of staying in the country but added he “can’t back down” as mounting legal troubles raise the prospect of his arrest.
These are “difficult times,” said Bolsonaro on Friday night at a public event in the city of Goias, in the Center-West region of Brazil, Folha de Sao Paulo reported. During the event, where local officials paid tribute to him, Bolsonaro avoided direct comments on the many legal troubles he faces since he left office at the end of last year, according the newspaper.
Read More: Bolsonaro’s Mounting Legal Troubles Raise Prospect of His Arrest
Late Thursday, local news outlets reported that a top judge granted investigators access to Bolsonaro’s bank and tax records, in the latest episode of a tailspin of legal trouble. Brazil’s electoral authority has barred him from seeking office, the police have raided his home and he has been called to testify in four separate investigations.
Read More: Brazil’s Top Judge Gives Police Access to Bolsonaro Bank Records
Bolsonaro is the target of a series of investigations, including an alleged diversion of presents from foreign authorities. Brazilian officials aren’t allowed to keep the most valuable gifts they receive. The former president also faces claims he undermined Brazil’s election system. Last week, a computer programmer said Bolsonaro asked him to expose vulnerabilities in voting machines.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.