Bolsonaro classifies possible imprisonment as unfair and the “end” of his life, says newspaper

Former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), he classified a possible arrest due to the accusations related to the alleged attack on Brazilian democracy as “completely unfair” and the “end” of his life at the age of 70. The lines were given to the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo during an interview.

The First Class of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) ruled last Wednesday (26), to make defendants Bolsonaro and seven allies for an alleged attempted coup. They were imputed to lead an armed criminal organization that would have associated to attack Brazilian democracy.

Asked if a potential prison would decrease the end if his political career, Bolsonaro stated that the possibility, if it was realized, would represent the end of his life, emphasizing that he is already 70 years old.

Former President Bolsonaro is charged with five crimes (attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup, criminal organization, damage qualified by violence and serious threat against the union’s assets, and with considerable damage to the victim and deterioration of listed assets), whose added penalties exceed 40 years.

Bolsonaro stated that the accusation of the complaint (which made him defendant in the process) was no surprise, and that now the prosecutor should seek evidence. Faced with since scenario, the president questioned the accusation regarding the deterioration of overturned assets, as he was in the United States on January 8, 2023.

The former president mentioned Operation Lava Jato, who judged and arrested current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, as an allegory during the interview. Bolsonaro emphasized that the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, closed the lawsuit that accused the former president of falsifying his vaccination card due to the lack of evidence by whistleblower Mauro Cid, who was a helper of Bolsonaro orders during his term. Bolsonaro said that all the (without evidence) accusations he faces would have been nullified “if it was Lava Jato,” but it doesn’t happen because it is not “so powerful.”

The former president also emphatically denied the possibility of moving to the United States and/or asking for political asylum, as his son Eduardo Bolsonaro did.