Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro is under investigation on suspicion of corruption and money laundering linked to the activities of the bankrupt bank "Banco Master".
This is reported by France24, citing published court documents.
Bolsonaro is the main right-wing rival to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in the October election.
The investigation into the senator — the eldest son of former president Jair Bolsonaro — was launched in July by Supreme Court justice André Mendonça.
Mendonça was appointed to the post by Jair Bolsonaro. In recent times, the judge has gained a reputation as a “hero” among many on Brazil’s right, including Flávio Bolsonaro himself.
The development could further shake an already tense presidential race, as numerous polls indicate that Flávio Bolsonaro and Lula may have virtually the same level of support in the second round of the election.
The judge opened the investigation at the request of the federal police as part of a broader case involving the bankrupt bank. However, details of the investigation only became public after, on Thursday, Supreme Court chief justice Edson Fachin ordered the confidentiality classification to be lifted from the "Banco Master" case files.
Mendonça complied with Fachin’s order, releasing thousands of pages of court materials. Further details and the broader significance of the newly declassified documents are not yet known.
- Bolsonaro is running as the right-wing candidate against the backdrop of his father Jair’s imprisonment over an alleged attempt to organise a coup. The criminal case against the former head of state has repeatedly been criticised by the United States, where Donald Trump’s administration openly backs Bolsonaro and has been unable to find common ground with Lula.
- The general election, in which Brazilians will choose both a new parliament and a president, will take place on 4 October.