The Washington Post said Flávio Bolsonaro’s departure for the United States exposes problems in Brazil’s democracy. In an editorial published Wednesday, the newspaper said the senator arrived in Miami three days after losing the presidential election’s second round, fearing imminent imprisonment.
The editorial, titled “When Judges Become Prosecutors,” said Bolsonaro’s flight does not establish his innocence in the criminal cases against him. But the newspaper argued that his apparent belief that he could not receive a fair trial amounts to an accusation against Brazil’s democratic system.
The Post also criticized what it called an excessive concentration of power in the Supreme Federal Court (STF), saying justices have taken on the roles of investigators, prosecutors and judges in cases involving attacks on democracy and the spread of disinformation.
The editorial singled out Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who ordered the seizure of Bolsonaro’s passports. It also cited Moraes’s 2024 order blocking the social media platform X across Brazil and requiring Apple and Google to make it harder for users to access software that could bypass the ban. The newspaper described that decision as a serious attack on freedom of expression.
According to the Post, the concentration of power at the STF risks weakening public confidence in the justice system and creating uncertainty for citizens and investors. The editorial said the rule of law requires authority grounded in laws and constitutions, predictable procedures, effective remedies, proportionate penalties and protections for defendants.
Sources: Folha Mundo.