Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is facing multiple probes, with his first indictment being for allegedly falsifying his COVID vaccine record. The federal police have recommended that he be prosecuted for forging his vaccination certificate, following an investigation that began last year. Bolsonaro, who previously claimed he was not vaccinated, is suspected of ordering aides to falsify his health record to allow him to travel internationally. The indictment accuses him and 16 others of issuing false certificates to obtain undue advantages as the pandemic raged. Potential charges include criminal association and insertion of false data into the public system, both punishable by imprisonment, with the attorney general’s office tasked with deciding whether to charge the former head of state.
Bolsonaro faced criticism for his handling of the pandemic, opposing lockdown measures and telling Brazilians to “stop whining” as deaths reached record highs. Despite public health records showing he received the vaccine in July 2022, the comptroller’s office found the entry to be fraudulent. His defence team has alleged political persecution and claimed that he was exempt from presenting vaccination certificates while in office. However, a close aide admitted to introducing fake data into the public health system for Bolsonaro and his daughter, leading to his arrest and subsequent release after a plea deal. Bolsonaro has been accused of being involved in various legal challenges, including attempting to sneak expensive diamond jewellery into Brazil and an alleged coup plot to stay in power after losing the 2022 election.
The most serious investigation against Bolsonaro focuses on his alleged role in masterminding the January 8 uprising in Brasilia, where he suggested the election was rigged and planned for military intervention in case of his loss. As his successor, left-leaning Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was inaugurated, crowds of Bolsonaro supporters besieged government buildings. The alleged forgery of his vaccination certificate is the subject of his first indictment since leaving office, with potential jail time of up to 12 years if charged. Analysts suggest that Bolsonaro could potentially be imprisoned by July if all investigations are concluded by then. Despite Bolsonaro’s claims that he was unaware of any falsification of his records, his defence team’s stance and the ongoing probes continue to cast a cloud over the former president’s legacy.
The federal police’s 231-page report outlined the alleged plot to falsify Bolsonaro’s vaccination certificate and the involvement of 16 individuals in issuing false certificates for undue advantages. The accusations of criminal association and insertion of false data into the public system present serious legal challenges for Bolsonaro. While his defence team maintains that he was unaware of any wrongdoing by his advisers, the ongoing investigations and potential charges suggest a tumultuous legal battle ahead for the former Brazilian president. With the likelihood of facing imprisonment looming, Bolsonaro’s legal troubles have only just begun, with the potential for further indictments and convictions based on the outcomes of the ongoing probes and investigations into his alleged misconduct during his presidency.
