For 47 percent of Brazilians, Bolsonaro must be condemned

Havana, June 23 (RHC) - Forty-seven percent of Brazilians support a sentence by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) against former President Jair Bolsonaro for accusations without evidence about the 2022 elections, a survey revealed.

Research by the Quaest institute and the Genial platform also indicates that 43 percent of those questioned are against the sanction and the other 10 could not respond.

Among the voters who voted for the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the second electoral round on October 30, the majority (80 percent) is in favor of sentencing; 12 against and eight without knowing what to say.

For their part, the supporters of Bolsonaro who exercised their right, 13 percent thought that he should be punished, 82 said no and six did not know what to argue.

According to 47 percent of the voters who voted blank or null, the TSE should punish the ex-military; 33 are against punishment and 20 did not want to respond.

The survey heard from 2,029 people in person through a structured questionnaire between June 15 and 18.

For the sampling, in the first stage, 120 municipalities were drawn by lottery, through the method of probability proportional to size, based on the population over 16 years of age.

In the second period, census zones were selected based on the population volume by sector.

In the third stage, the fixed number of inhabitants to be interviewed in each sector was defined, according to the quotas of region, sex, age group, educational level, family income and economically active population.

At the beginning of the trial in the TSE, the vice attorney general for elections, Paulo Gonet, defended the ineligibility of Bolsonaro for abuse of political power that could disqualify him from holding public office for eight years.

Gonet spoke at the first session that analyzes the conduct of the former Army captain in a meeting with ambassadors in July of last year.

In that meeting, broadcast on public television, Bolsonaro denigrated electronic ballot boxes and the electoral system without presenting evidence.

Given the facts, the Trabalhista Democratic Party (PDT) brought the TSE into action against the then president to accuse him, along with General Walter Braga Netto, vice candidate in his formula for the October suffrage, of alleged abuse of political power and improper use of the media during the electoral campaign.

According to Gonet, "elements are stamped" that justify moving the far-right politician away from the elections, such as deviation of purpose, search for advantage in the 2022 elective dispute, in addition to the seriousness of the conduct.

On June 27, the trial will be resumed at the TSE and, according to the agenda, magistrate Benedito Gonçalves, investigator of the case, who advocated blaming Bolsonaro, will present his vote. (Source: PL)