A Brazilian court bans Bolsonaro from holding any public office until 2030

The political career of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro collapsed on Friday, after a federal election court in Brazil prevented the far-right nationalist president from assuming any public office until 2030 because of his actions in last year’s presidential elections.

Five out of seven judges voted to convict Bolsonaro, 68, of abuse of power and misuse of the media when, before the election, he summoned a group of ambassadors to publish baseless claims about Brazil’s electronic voting system.

The court’s decision represents a dangerous curve for Bolsonaro, the former army chief who narrowly lost the October elections to his rival
Leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Many in Brazil hold him responsible for building a national movement to nullify the election results, which culminated on January 8 when thousands of his supporters stormed government buildings in Brasilia.