Brazil’s senate approves indictment of president

By Muhammed Emin Canik

BUENOS AIRES (AA) – The Brazilian Senate’s Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) on Tuesday approved the final report in which President Jair Bolsonaro was charged with nine crimes, including crimes against humanity.

CPI members approved the report with seven votes in favor and four against. The report will be submitted to Attorney General Augusto Aras, who was appointed by the president, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, requesting the commencement of judicial proceedings against Bolsonaro.

In relation to crimes against humanity, accountability would depend on the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague.

A total of 80 people are indicted in the report, including Bolsonaro's sons, ministers, and the former health minister.

According to the report, Bolsonaro repeatedly encouraged the public not to follow the social distancing rule, opposed the use of masks, and caused crowds. The report also requested the indefinite suspension of social media accounts that Bolsonaro was accused of using to spread false information.

Last week, Facebook and Instagram removed Bolsonaro's videos, and YouTube suspended the president's account for a week due to his statements on the COVID-19 vaccine in his live broadcast from his social media account.

According to the report, Bolsonaro is charged with nine crimes, including epidemic resulting in death, infraction of preventive sanitary measure, charlatanism, incitement to crime, forgery of private documents, irregular employment of public funds, malfeasance, crimes against humanity, violation of social rights and incompatibility with the dignity, honor, and decorum of the presidency.

* Writing by Gozde Bayar