Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is under investigation for allegedly “harassing” a humpback whale while riding on a jet ski off Sao Paulo’s coast last year.
Bolsonaro was allegedly filmed getting too close to a whale while riding on a jetski in June 2023.
Under Brazilian law, motored vessels are only allowed near the animal within a 100-meter distance and any attempt to get closer could lead to a two to five-year prison sentence, as well as a fine.
Federal prosecutors who are investigating the case, said last year the man appeared to be Bolsonaro in the video, which showed him roughly 15 meters from the whale.
The disgraced politician, who is banned from running for office until 2030, appeared at the federal police station in Sao Paulo Tuesday to meet with officers to discuss the incident with his lawyer and former advisor, who was also present at the time of the event.
Legal experts said the most Bolsonaro will likely face is a fine for approaching the whale.
A local politician had been accused of a similar event previously and only faced a fine of $500, according to G1.
This isn’t the only trouble the former president has seen lately, as he recently had to forfeit his passport and is being investigated for allegedly plotting a coup to remove his successor from power.
Investigators believe Bolsonaro, and some of his former ministers and military advisors, plotted to decree the 2022 election vote fraudulent if he lost reelection, Supreme Court documents said.
The decree also allegedly planned to arrest a Supreme Court justice and call for a new election if he lost. However, the plan was never used.
Despite that, a panel of judges then ruled he was ineligible to run for office until 2030 since he cast doubt on the country’s electronic voting system.
Bolsonaro has also been accused of attempting to sneak in diamond jewelry that was worth up to $3 million and two watches that he claimed to have received as gifts from Saudi Arabia.
In addition, police are investigating the nation’s intelligence agency for allegedly spying on Bolsonaro’s political opponents during his term, which ended in December 2022.
The politician has denied any wrongdoing. Earlier this week, Bolsonaro gathered thousands of supporters in the streets of Sao Paulo to protest the investigations into the alleged coup.
He told his supporters that he was being “persecuted” for the decree.
“A coup is putting tanks on the streets, weapons, and conspiracy. That did not happen in Brazil,” Bolsonaro said. “What I want is pacification. To erase the past and find a way for us to live in peace.”
With Post wires.
