Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been formally accused of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination data, marking the first indictment for the embattled far-right leader. The federal police indictment alleges that Bolsonaro and 16 others inserted false information into a public health database to make it appear as though they had received the COVID-19 vaccine. The indictment also accuses Bolsonaro and his aides of tampering with the health ministry's database in order to obtain vaccination certificates and cheat current health restrictions.
During the pandemic, Bolsonaro openly criticized the vaccine and flouted health restrictions, encouraging other Brazilians to follow his example. His administration even ignored offers from Pfizer to sell Brazil millions of vaccine doses in 2020. Bolsonaro's lawyer, Fábio Wajngarten, called the indictment “absurd” and claimed it was a political persecution to undermine Bolsonaro's political capital.
The case against Bolsonaro will be reviewed by Brazil's prosecutor-general's office, which will decide whether to file charges against him at the Supreme Court. This indictment is just one of several investigations targeting Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022.
The specific allegations in this case revolve around Bolsonaro's travel to the United States in December 2022, shortly after he lost his reelection bid to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro needed a vaccination certificate to enter the U.S., where he stayed for the final days of his term and the first months of Lula's term. If convicted of falsifying health data, Bolsonaro could face up to 12 years behind bars.
Legal analyst Zilan Costa explained that the key issue in this case is whether Bolsonaro inserted the false data himself or enabled others to do so. The evidence will determine his guilt or innocence in a crime that carries a harsh sentence for those convicted. The case may also involve further charges if it is proven that Bolsonaro and his aides used the false vaccination certificates in the U.S.
Despite these allegations, Bolsonaro still maintains a strong following among his political base. Last month, thousands of supporters gathered in Sao Paulo to protest what they see as political persecution. However, Brazil's top electoral court has already ruled Bolsonaro ineligible to run for office until 2030 due to his abuse of power during the 2022 campaign and unfounded doubts about the country's electronic voting system.
This indictment is just one of several investigations targeting Bolsonaro. Another case involves allegations that he tried to smuggle expensive diamond jewelry into Brazil and prevent it from becoming part of the presidency's public collection. There is also an investigation into Bolsonaro's alleged involvement in an uprising in Brasilia after Lula took power, which resembled the Capitol riot in Washington, D.C. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing in these cases.
The current indictment against Bolsonaro will be incorporated into the investigation of the January 8 uprising and will be overseen by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The unsealing of the indictment was authorized by Justice de Moraes.
In conclusion, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been formally accused of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination data. The indictment alleges that Bolsonaro and his aides inserted false information into a public health database to obtain vaccination certificates and cheat health restrictions. This is just one of several investigations targeting Bolsonaro, who has faced allegations ranging from electoral misconduct to involvement in uprisings and smuggling. The outcome of these investigations will have significant implications for Bolsonaro's political future and the legal consequences he may face.
