Brazil’s Supreme Court has moved a step closer to prosecuting Eduardo Bolsonaro — the third son of former President Jair Bolsonaro — after a majority of justices on a special panel voted Friday to accept obstruction of justice charges against him.
Three of the five justices on the panel backed the indictment, which accuses the younger Bolsonaro of attempting to interfere with a high-stakes case against his father by exerting pressure and issuing threats aimed at undermining the judiciary.
The elder Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2023, was sentenced in September to more than 27 years in prison for allegedly plotting to overturn his 2022 election defeat through a coup attempt.
Eduardo, one of his most vocal defenders, has made frequent trips to the United States since that election, meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump and senior Republican figures as he sought international backing.
In March, Eduardo announced he would relocate to the U.S. to lobby “full-time” on behalf of his father. “I will focus 100 percent of my time on this single cause: to seek justice,” he said in a video posted to social media.
But Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes — joined by Justices Flavio Dino and Cristiano Zanin — concluded there is substantial evidence suggesting Eduardo’s actions abroad may have crossed legal lines.
According to de Moraes, the deputy’s efforts appeared intended “to create an environment of institutional and social instability,” including attempts to pressure Brazilian authorities and potentially inflict economic damage on the country.
The panel’s vote remains open until November 25, but with a majority already secured, Eduardo Bolsonaro is now poised to face trial — marking the latest legal blow to the Bolsonaro family as investigators pursue multiple cases tied to their conduct in and after office.
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