Brazil's Supreme Court convicts Eduardo Bolsonaro for defaming Tabata Amaral

The Supreme Federal Court (STF) has convicted former deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro for defaming federal deputy Tabata Amaral. In a virtual plenary session, the court ruled 7 to 3 to sentence Bolsonaro to one year of detention and a fine exceeding R$ 80,000.

The case stems from social media posts made in October 2021. During that time, Bolsonaro claimed that Amaral’s proposal for the free distribution of sanitary pads was intended to serve the interests of businessman Jorge Paulo Lemann and a hygiene products manufacturer.

Relator Alexandre de Moraes argued that the statements exceeded the boundaries of political debate and were not protected by parliamentary immunity, as they targeted the honor of the deputy. The majority of the court supported this view, while ministers Luiz Fux, Nunes Marques, and André Mendonça voted for acquittal, maintaining that the comments were part of political discourse.

Eduardo Bolsonaro, who lost his mandate due to excessive absences, has been residing in the United States since February 2025.