By Eniola Amadu
Brazil’s Attorney General has filed coercion charges against Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, accusing him of abusing his congressional office to protect family interests at the expense of the republic.
In a statement, prosecutors alleged Eduardo repeatedly acted in ways that exposed Brazil to the risk of international sanctions, saying they would also seek compensation for damages caused by the alleged crimes.
The congressman, who is based in the United States, dismissed the case as “bogus” and “absurd,” claiming in a post on X that he learned of the charges through the press. He described the move as proof of “ongoing political persecution.”
The indictment comes just weeks after Jair Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years in prison for plotting a coup following his 2022 election loss.
Eduardo has since relocated to the US, telling the BBC earlier this year that he was living in “exile” out of fear of arrest if he returned home.
Also charged was businessman Paulo Figueiredo, grandson of former dictator João Batista Figueiredo.
Eduardo Bolsonaro has actively lobbied in Washington on behalf of his father, cultivating ties with allies of President Donald Trump.
The US president has repeatedly compared Bolsonaro’s prosecution to a “witch hunt,” and in July imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods — a move denounced by current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as “misguided and illogical.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against the wife of Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who presided over Bolsonaro’s coup trial. De Moraes condemned the measures as “illegal and regrettable.”
The charges against Eduardo coincided with growing public unrest at home. Tens of thousands of Brazilians marched on Sunday against a congressional bill that could grant amnesty to Bolsonaro and shield lawmakers from prosecution.
The proposal, quickly branded the “Banditry Bill” by critics, would require congressional approval by secret ballot before any lawmaker could be charged or arrested.
Supporters argue it is necessary to curb judicial overreach, but Lula has vowed to veto the measure if it clears the Senate.
“Today’s demonstrations show that the population does not want impunity or amnesty,” Lula wrote on X.
