Brazilian Bolsonaro is asking the Senate to prosecute a Supreme Court court

BRAZIL, Aug. 20 (Reuters) – Brazilian far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday raised his involvement in his battle with the country’s Supreme Court and sent a request to the Senate for the removal of ‘one of his judges, according to the petition seen by Reuters.

Bolsonaro wants to charge Judge Alexandre de Moraes after he opened an investigation into the president for allegedly leaking to the media a secret report from the federal police on a hacking that backed his views on the fact that Brazil’s electronic voting system was vulnerable to fraud.

Moraes has also begun investigating Bolsonaro for his attacks on the Supreme Electoral Court, which has maintained that the electronic system is secure and can be audited.

Senate President Rodrigo Pacheco told reporters he would examine the request, but said he sees no political or technical reasons to accuse Moraes.

The Supreme Court rejected Bolsonaro’s request in a statement that “does not tolerate a magistrate being charged with his decisions” which must be questioned through the appropriate appeal process.

Bolsonaro’s critics say he casts doubt on the voting system so he can question next year’s election results if he loses. Polls show former left-wing president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead, although neither has announced they will run.

The president’s petition to the Senate, which is the only body that can try a judge of the highest instance, said some judges were committing abuses and violating the law by initiating investigations without the involvement of state prosecutors.

The Senate is not expected to accept the indictment, just as the lower house has not filed any of Bolsonaro’s dozens of indictments.

But his case against Moraes will deepen the crisis between the president and the Supreme Court, which Bolsonaro supporters want to see closed.

Report by Maria Carolina Marcello; Edited by Sandra Maler

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