Bolsonaro has been in the presidential palace for less than one year, but he has already found himself in the middle of numerous scandals, many related to his questionable links with paramilitary groups, that now also tie him to the murder of Rio de Janeiro Councilwoman, Marielle Franco, in 2018.
At the beginning of his mandate in January this year, Bolsonaro named his Justice Minister as Sergio Moro, the controversial judge who led ‘Operation Car Wash’ (Lava Jato in Portuguese) in which ex-president Lula da Silva became implicated. Moro condemned Lula to a lengthy prison sentence prematurely, which prevented him from running for the last presidential elections, and which ensured Bolsonaro would come out on top.
This appointment of Moro as Justice Minister was confirmation for many that the case against Lula was far from impartial, and that it was highly politicised from the very beginning. Bolsonaro and Moro played a central role in the incarceration of the ex-president, which violated due process throughout the investigation and the trial.
