Brazil’s lower house removes Bolsonaro’s son

Brazil’s lower house speaker Hugo Motta decided to remove two lawmakers close to former President Jair Bolsonaro from their seats in the latest blow to the far-right leader serving a 27-year jail sentence. One of Bolsonaro’s sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, and the former head of Brazil’s intelligence agency, Alexandre Ramagem, were stripped off their seats for different reasons. The decision was published in the journal of Brazil’s lower house. Since his move to Texas in February, Eduardo Bolsonaro has missed more than 80 per cent of this year’s lower house sessions, which violates its rules. The 41-year-old claims to be politically persecuted at home, and has lobbied members of the Trump administration to help his father reverse his conviction and put pressure on President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“As everybody knows, he is living abroad by his own decision,” Motta told journalists after his decision was announced. “He has not attended our house’s sessions and it is impossible to serve one’s term as a lawmaker if that person is not in our territory.” The removal of Ramagem, who recently fled to the US to avoid serving his 16-year jail sentence in the same case that put Bolsonaro behind bars in November, had been ordered by Brazil’s Supreme Court. Earlier this month, Motta, who has often sided with Bolsonaro allies, said he was going to put the decision to remove Ramagem from his seat to a full-house vote.