Electoral inspector rejects two actions against Bolsonaro and Braga Netto

Minister Benedito Gonçalves, Electoral Inspector of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), rejected this Thursday (9) two electoral judicial investigation actions (Aije) that targeted former president Jair Bolsonaro. In both cases, the judge understood that there were not sufficient arguments to continue with the proceedings.

The candidate for vice-president on Bolsonaro’s ticket in last year’s elections, Braga Netto, was also freed from the charges.

One of the actions had been opened by the PDT, the party of former presidential candidate Ciro Gomes. The caption pointed out the alleged abuse of economic power by Bolsonaro, who allegedly camouflaged campaign expenses through graphic materials distributed by a group called Casa da Pátria, in Paraná.

Gonçalves understood that no element capable of demonstrating the link between the group and Bolsonaro’s campaign had been presented. “It should be noted that the candidates investigated, in this case, were identified as beneficiaries, without describing how they had acted to coordinate, directly or indirectly, the alleged illicit campaign financing scheme”, he argued.

The other action had been filed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s campaign, which accused Bolsonaro of being involved in sending mass messages days before the first round of last year’s elections, coming from a number from the Information and Communication Technology Company. from Paraná (Celepar).

In this case, Gonçalves stressed that the messages were sent through external access to the SMS platform of the public company in Paraná, “without participation from the Government of Paraná or Celepar, which indicates that those investigated had no participation on the facts.”

Bolsonaro and Braga Netto have already been sentenced to ineligibility for 8 years in other cases judged by the TSE. They are prevented from running for office until 2030. However, both are still responding to other actions that are still in progress.

Gonçalves’ decisions were the minister’s last acts as Electoral Inspector General. He ends his 2-year stint at the TSE this Thursday, being replaced in the internal affairs department by minister Raul Araújo. Both originate from the Superior Court of Justice (STJ).