Brazil's Supreme Court rejected today President Jair Bolsonaro's appeal in which he accused Judge Alexander de Moraes of abusing his powers, escalating the conflict between the far-right leader and the highest court.
Bolsonaro filed a complaint on Monday against a judge overseeing an investigation into whether one of Bolsonaro's closest allies runs a social media network that spreads threats and fake news against Supreme Court justices.
In his appeal, Bolsonaro accused de Moraes of slowing down the investigation and damaging his image in an election year.
Supreme Court Judge Dias Tofoli rejected the request, arguing that the facts described "do not provide evidence, even minimal" of a crime.
De Moraes will preside over the state's electoral authority in the upcoming elections, when Bolsonaro, who has questioned whether the vote will be fair, will seek a second term.
Bolsonaro has begun to show animosity towards the Supreme Court since the opening of an investigation into so-called fake news in 2019.
He has openly clashed with the court since the beginning of the pandemic, when judges ruled that mayors and governors have the authority to set restrictions to fight the virus.
Bolsonaro has been a fierce opponent of the lockdown and other restrictions. Last year, he asked the Senate to impeach de Moraes and threatened to ignore any of the judicial authorities' decisions.
"Either the investigation of fake news is unjustifiably extended to the detriment of those being investigated, since after more than thirty-six months there is not even a partial report on the investigations. Or, there are partial reports and justifications for conducting the investigation that are being hidden from the defense," the lawsuit states. .
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