Brasilia – On March 28, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes dismissed an investigation into former President Jair Bolsonaro regarding the alleged falsification of vaccine records, according to a court ruling reviewed by Reuters. The decision followed Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet’s announcement earlier in the week that he would not pursue fraud charges against Bolsonaro. Gonet argued that allegations stemming from a plea-bargain agreement with a former presidential aide were insufficient to support prosecution.

The ruling comes just days after a Supreme Court panel voted to put Bolsonaro on trial in a separate case, where he faces accusations of conspiring to overturn the government following his 2022 election defeat. Bolsonaro’s legal team has not yet issued a response. Justice Moraes, in his decision, sided with Gonet, stressing that Brazilian law prohibits filing charges based solely on plea-bargain testimonies. He emphasized that any criminal charges must be backed by "autonomous and independent evidence," in addition to corroboration from other verified sources.

Federal Police had accused Bolsonaro of fraudulently altering his vaccination records, asserting that his former aide, Mauro Cid, secured falsified Covid-19 vaccination documents for Bolsonaro and his daughter Laura at the then-president’s request. This case was part of broader legal scrutiny faced by Bolsonaro, who has been under investigation for various allegations since leaving office. The Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the probe eliminates one legal challenge but does not affect the separate conspiracy case, which continues to move forward. Bolsonaro, a vocal critic of Covid-19 vaccinations and public health mandates, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that investigations against him are politically motivated.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.