‘Thank God we still have elections every 2 years,’ says Alexandre de Moraes

Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moares stated that “thank God we still have elections every two years.” The statement of the magistrate, responsible for judging the defendants for attempted coup d’état, took place on Thursday, 21, a day after the Federal Police (PF) indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and his son, Deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), for attempted obstruction of the process that investigates Bolpista’s participation in the coup plot.

Moraes spoke to jurists at the II Brazilian Congress of Sanctioner Administrative Law, held in São Paulo. The magistrate avoided the press questions and did not cite Bolsonaro’s indictment or the blockade of his American flag credit card, which was the result of a sanction applied via Magnitsky Law, articulated by Eduardo in order to lock his father’s process at court.

The theme of the event was the updates of the Administrative Misconduct Law, a legal provision that, among other functions, establishes punishments for public agents that commit illicit enrichment, damage to public coffers or pay attention against the principles of public administration.

After the lecture, Moraes, accompanied by security guards, walked through downtown São Paulo alongside his wife, Viviane.

Jair Bolsonaro’s trial at the STF is expected to start on September 2. On Wednesday, 20, Moraes received a 170-page report produced by the Federal Police that details as the former president and his son reported to try to disrupt investigations and prevent the process, which would configure one more crime. Police officers include in the document the articulations of sanctions against the country and national authorities articulated by Eduardo.

The minister himself was the target of sanction, via magnitsky law. The standard prevents him from accessing the US, having goods in the country, and using services from American companies such as banks and technology companies. In addition to Moraes, seven other court ministers had their American visas revoked in an attempted reprisal for the trial against the former president to be closed.