Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Votes to Annul Bolsonaro Case Over Jurisdiction

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux has voted to annul the case against former President Jair Bolsonaro, arguing the five-judge panel lacks jurisdiction since Bolsonaro had already left office when the alleged crimes occurred. Fux contends that the case should have been heard in lower courts and, if at the Supreme Court, by the full bench of 11 justices, not just a five-judge panel. Bolsonaro faces charges including involvement in an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently abolish democracy, organizing a coup, and damaging government property. Despite Fux's vote, the court still appears likely to convict Bolsonaro, with two judges having already voted for conviction and others appointed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who defeated Bolsonaro. Fux also criticized the defense's limited time to prepare amid an overwhelming amount of evidence and procedural issues. This divergence in the court raises the potential for appeals that could extend proceedings closer to the 2026 presidential campaign, in which Bolsonaro plans to run despite being barred in a separate case.