Brazil : A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has ruled that President Jair Bolsonaro should be investigated for his unproven claims that the country’s electronic voting system is vulnerable to fraud.
Wednesday’s ruling resulted from Bolsonaro missing a deadline on Monday to present any proof of his claims. The Supreme Court will now lead an investigation into the dissemination of “fake news” about the court and its members, as well as looking into a supposed “digital militia” financed by private companies to do so.
Bolsonaro has repeatedly made claims of fraud within the Brazil’s voting system without presenting any evidence. The President, who is expected to seek a second term in 2022, has also suggested that votes could be fraudulent.
He responded with anger to the Supreme Court decision to approve an investigation into his claims.
This investigation is not within the bounds of the constitution, so the antidote to this is also not within the bounds of the constitution,” Bolsonaro said on social media, without specifying further the nature of the threat, Reuters said.
Speaking on public television last Friday, Bolsonaro said “there’s no way of proving whether the elections were rigged or not.” He also said during an address to followers on Sunday that next year’s election would not be held if paper vote receipts were not reintroduced.
His statements questioning election integrity have led observers to fear that Bolsonaro — the so-called “Trump of the tropics” — will challenge the results of next year’s presidential election, should he lose the vote, in a similar manner to former US President Donald Trump, a Bolsonaro ally. Bolsonaro has threatened several times to cancel next year’s presidential election.
CNN
