Restore Branches Balance With the Army, Bolsonaro's Son Says

Federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, spoke about the possibility that the Armed Forces settle the conflict between the Executive and the Judiciary to restore democracy.

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"The moderating power to restore harmony between branches is not the Federal Supreme Court (STF) but the Armed Forces... They come, put on a warm cloth, prepare the game, and then the democratic game will return. It's just that,” lawmaker Bolsonaro said.

He also hinted that the Supreme Court and the Bolsonaro administration were practically about to break each other and defended his father who questioned the STF decision to investigate the fake news network managed by the Brazilian president's allies.

Months ago, a far-right lawyer suggested that the Constitution's Article 142 could empower the Armed Forces to intervene and resolve the impasse between Bolsonaro and the Judiciary.

This interpretation of the Brazilian constitution, however, has no basis. Jurists affirm that article 142 does not empower the armed forces to seize power, even temporarily. If that happened, that would amount to a coup.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Bolsonaro's son maintains that the possibility of the Armed Forces intervening in the conflict between branches depends on the "popular protest", insinuating that the 1964 military coup arose because the people asked for it.

“The military only took action after the popular protest. Nobody wants it," the lawmaker Bolsonaro said and confirmed that those who support Article 142 understand that the Armed Forces can reverse this "kind of disharmony between branches."​​​​​​​