Lawyer warns Bolsonaro might flee Brazil in view of accusations

[Judi Lynn]

1. Bolsonaro's mounting legal troubles raise prospect of his arrest

By ANDREW ROSATI AND DANIEL CARVALHO
BLOOMBERG NEWS • August 19, 2023

RIO DE JANEIRO (Tribune News Service) — Former Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro has found himself in a tailspin of legal trouble since leaving office at the end of last year.

Police have raided his home. He has testified to authorities on four separate occasions. Some of his closest allies have been arrested. And late Thursday, local news outlets reported that a top judge granted investigators access to his bank and tax records.

Brazil’s electoral authority barred the right-wing former leader from seeking public office for eight years in June. Now Bolsonaro’s growing legal problems have raised the prospect that he may ultimately face arrest and jail time.

The 68-year-old former army captain, who spread conspiracies about vote fraud throughout last year’s election, is facing investigations over whether he played a role in Jan. 8 riots in Brasilia, when supporters stormed major government buildings in an apparent effort to overturn his defeat to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

More:
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/americas/2023-08-19/brazil-army-veteran-bolsonaro-legal-troubles-arrest-11095448.html