Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Dec 27, 2024

Brazil Police Raid Ex-President Bolsonaro's Home, Seize Phone

Brazil Police Raid Ex-President Bolsonaro's Home, Seize Phone

Jair Bolsonaro, who faced widespread criticism as president for his unorthodox handling of the pandemic, denied the allegations, accusing the authorities of trying to fabricate a case against him.
Police in Brazil searched ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's home and seized his cell phone Wednesday, investigating allegations the far-right vaccine skeptic and his inner circle falsified Covid-19 vaccination certificates to dodge health restrictions.

Bolsonaro, who faced widespread criticism as president for his unorthodox handling of the pandemic, denied the allegations, accusing the authorities of trying to fabricate a case against him.

"There was no falsification on my part. None," he told journalists outside his home in Brasilia after the early-morning raid.

"I haven't been vaccinated, period," he said.

"I'm surprised... by the search and seizure operation in an ex-president's home, trying to fabricate a case."

The raid came after federal police said they had uncovered a scheme in which a top Bolsonaro aide, army colonel Mauro Cid, allegedly tapped a network of contacts in the health system and government to obtain fraudulent vaccination certificates for Bolsonaro, the president's daughter, himself, his wife and daughters, and two other presidential aides.

Police said in a brief to the Supreme Court that there was evidence Bolsonaro was "fully aware" of the fraudulent entries in the health ministry's electronic vaccination records system, which they said aimed to enable his anti-vaccine inner circle to dodge international travel requirements and other pandemic restrictions.

'Robust' case

The raid was ordered by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ruled there was "plausible, logical and robust" evidence suggesting Bolsonaro may have been personally involved.

Police carried out 16 search and seizure orders and executed six arrest warrants as part of the operation, detaining Cid and former presidential aides Max Guilherme Machado de Moura and Sergio Rocha Cordeiro.

Bolsonaro, 68, said police had also seized his cell phone and a handgun.

The ex-army captain, who led Brazil from 2019 to 2022, defied expert advice on managing Covid-19, which has claimed more than 700,000 lives in Brazil.

As president, he touted the medication hydroxychloroquine against the disease, despite studies finding it ineffective, and joked the vaccine could "turn you into an alligator."

Latest legal battle

The raid is the latest legal battle for Bolsonaro, who faces a string of investigations by the Supreme Court and electoral authorities.

It also cast a new spotlight on his decision to leave Brazil for the United States on the second-to-last day of his presidency, snubbing the inauguration of his leftist successor and arch-rival, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro left for the United States on December 30, after losing a bitterly divisive election to Lula.

The US requires international air travelers to present proof of vaccination against Covid-19, a requirement the White House announced Monday would end on May 11.

The requirement does not apply to foreign government officials, and Bolsonaro said he had not been asked to present proof of vaccination on arrival.

But Bolsonaro's status as a government official expired when his term ended on December 31.

He then applied for a visa to remain in the US as a private citizen.

It is unclear whether the vaccination requirement applied to him at that point. A US State Department spokesman told reporters that individual visa records are confidential.

Bolsonaro, a close ally of US ex-president Donald Trump, stayed in Orlando, Florida, for three months after his presidency.

He returned to Brazil on March 30, vowing to fight Lula's government.

But he risks being ensnared by numerous investigations, and has already faced questioning by federal police in two cases since his return.

One was over accusations of inciting riots inside the presidential palace, Congress and the Supreme Court on January 8 by supporters refusing to accept his election loss.

The other was over accusations he tried to illegally keep millions of dollars' worth of diamond jewelry received as a gift from Saudi Arabia during his presidency.

Bolsonaro faces a total of four Supreme Court investigations that could send him to prison, and 16 cases before Brazil's Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE).

The TSE, which is notably investigating Bolsonaro's unproven claims of fraud in the country's voting system, could strip him of his right to run for office for eight years, taking him out of the 2026 presidential race.
Comments

Oh ya 2 year ago
So big pharma is mad that he and many others bypassed the clot shot biological weapon. Billions of suckers took it and many saw the BS it was and passed. If you are one that took it get your paperwork in order, make peace with your God and start read alternative websites on whatvyou might do for yourself to lessen the impact of the shot. FLCCC would be a place to start

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israeli Airstrike Targets Press Vehicle: Five Journalists Dead in Gaza
WHO Chief Escapes Death in Yemen Amid Intensified Israeli Airstrikes
Escalating Middle East Tensions: Israeli Airstrikes Extend to Yemen and Gaza
Emirati Pilot Joins NASA's Simulated Mars Expedition
Tragedy in Gaza: Infant Mortality Highlights Ceasefire Stalemate Amidst Humanitarian Crisis
Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Result in Deadly Consequences Amidst Escalating Tensions
Moderna's Groundbreaking Combo Vaccine Yields Promising Trial Results
The Grim Toll of Conflict: One Child Killed Every Hour in Gaza, Says UN Agency
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens: Israeli Strikes Hit Shelters and Hospitals in Gaza
Humanitarian Zones Under Siege: Israel's Strikes in Gaza Escalate Civilian Crisis
Israel Confirms Assassination of Hamas Leader in Tehran: A Stark Warning to Regional Foes
Escalating Tensions: Israeli Strikes in Gaza and Assassination in Iran Stir Regional Conflict
Gaza Conflict: Unmasking the Human Cost Amidst Political Stalemate
Escalating Conflict in Gaza: Lives Lost Amid Intensifying Military Actions
Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Spur Humanitarian Outcry and Internal Criticism
Italy Slaps OpenAI with Landmark Fine: A Catalyst for Global Data Privacy Debate
Gaza Ceasefire Talks Approach Brink: Delicate Diplomacy at Play
Progress in Gaza Ceasefire Talks Amid Ongoing Conflict
Saudi Football Star Fahad Al-Muwallad in Critical Condition After Balcony Fall
Gaza Ceasefire Hangs by a Thread as Mediators Navigate a Stalemate of Epic Proportions
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
Gaza on the Brink: Economic Collapse and the Humanitarian Abyss
Ankara Ascends: Turkey's Rising Influence in Syria's Post-Assad Landscape
International Tensions Escalate Amid Gaza Conflict and Syrian Crisis
Gaza Conflict at Day 439: Renewed Ceasefire Hopes Amidst Ongoing Strife
Global Challenges: Syrian Repatriation, Natural Disasters, and Political Turmoil
U.S. Indicts Syrian Officials for Torture Amidst Assad's Overthrow: A New Era of Accountability and Diplomatic Reevaluation
Global Geopolitical Shifts: U.S. Strategy in Syria, Regional Tensions, and Calls for Nuclear Disarmament
Major Geopolitical Developments: Turkiye Reopens Border for Syrian Refugee Returns Amidst Regional Tensions and Political Transformations
Hypersonic Tensions: Yemen's Missile Disrupts Israel Amid Regional Escalation
Escalating Middle East Tensions and U.S. Tragedy: A Global Snapshot
Germany Suspends Syrian Asylum Decisions Amid Post-Assad Uncertainty
Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza: A Blow to Civilians and Press Freedom
Global Instability: UAE Advocates for Syrian Unity Amidst Middle East Tensions, Military Setback in Turkey, and Escalating Violence in Haiti
Key Regional Shifts in the Middle East Following Assad's Ouster: Challenges and Opportunities
France Supports Syria's Transition After Assad's Ouster Amid Middle East Turmoil
Recent Global Power Shifts: Political Upheavals and Security Challenges Redefining Nations
Global Conflicts and Health Developments: From Gaza's Hospital Crisis to Morocco's Medical Advancements
Transformative Shifts in Global Politics: The Fall of Assad, Maritime Piracy Threats, and Political Change in Ghana
Turbulent Transition: Syria's Political Upheaval and Global Reactions
Escalating Middle Eastern Conflicts and Political Tensions: A Snapshot of Global Unrest and Efforts for Stabilization
Syria's Crossroads: Can Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Lead a Unified Country After Assad's Fall?
End of an Era: Assad's Departure Amid Rebel Advances Signals Major Shift in Syria's Civil War
Global Shifts: UK Trade Missions, Korean Political Turmoil, and Syrian Conflict Dynamics
Escalating Global Tensions: Hospital Destruction in Gaza, Lebanese Military Movements, Alaskan Volcano Alert, Syrian Conflict Developments, Golan Heights Security, and U.S. Aid to Ukraine
Morocco Secures $13 Billion Investment for Railway Expansion at Africa Investment Forum
Israeli Strikes Devastate Gaza Hospital; EU Lifts Pakistan Airlines Ban; Global Holiday Traditions and Middle East Tensions Highlighted
Global Tensions and Shifts: From Netanyahu's Critique and African Political Instability to Syrian Rebel Advances and Renewed Middle East Peace Efforts
Military Diversity Debate, Gaza Clashes, Notre Dame's Rebirth, South Korean Political Crisis, Trump's Diplomatic Visit, and Ghana's Pivotal Election
U.S. State Department Urges Immediate Evacuation from Syria Amid Escalating Conflict and Strategic Power Shifts
×