Bolsonaro could face more than 50 years in prison for genocide.

By Alex Solnik 

Of all the infamous crimes committed by former president Jair Messias Bolsonaro, perhaps the most barbaric is what is being revealed to the country through the photos of the Yanomami, emaciated, with an appearance comparable to the victims of famine in Biafra and the prisoners of Nazi concentration camps.

Although Brazilians had already heard dozens of hostile statements towards indigenous peoples, such as promises not to demarcate their lands, safe passage for gold miners to poison their rivers, encouragement of invasions, and refusals of humanitarian aid, over the past four years, there were no images to convey them. Now there are.    

And the images are tragic and compelling proof that Bolsonaro's words and actions are classified as crimes and punishable under Law No. 2.889, of October 1, 1956. 

Article 1. Whoever, with the intention of destroying, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such:  

a) kill group members;

b) causing serious harm to the physical or mental integrity of members of the group;

c) intentionally subject the group to conditions of existence capable of bringing about its total or partial physical destruction;

d) adopt measures aimed at preventing births within the group;

e) forcibly transfer children from the group to another group;

The punishment will be:

With the feathers of Article 121, § 2, of the Penal Code, in the case of letter a;

With the feathers of art. 129, § 2, in the case of letter b;

With the feathers of art. 270, in the case of letter c;

With the feathers of art. 125, in the case of letter d;

With the feathers of art. 148, in the case of the letter e;

The former president's actions and words violate letters "a", "b", and "c". The punishment for letter "a" is the same as for aggravated homicide: 12 to 30 years. For letter "b", 1 to 5 years. And for "c", 10 to 15 years.

The penalties apply not only to the President of the Republic, but also to all those who collaborated with him:

Article 2. More than 3 (three) people associating themselves for the purpose of committing the crimes mentioned in the previous article:  

Penalty: Half of the penalty prescribed for the crimes listed therein.

Inciting others to commit the same crime can also be attributed to Bolsonaro:

Article 3. To incite, directly and publicly, someone to commit any of the crimes referred to in Article 1:  

Penalty: Half of the penalties prescribed there.

§ 1 The penalty for the crime of incitement shall be the same as for the crime incited, if the latter is consummated.

§ 2 The penalty will be increased by 1/3 (one third) when the incitement is committed through the press.

The penalty increases if the perpetrator is the President of the Republic.

Article 4. The penalty will be increased by 1/3 (one third), in the case of articles 1, 2 and 3, when the crime is committed by a government official or public servant.   

This is the most cruel crime and the easiest to prove: the medical reports, the statements, the actions of the former government, and the photos are the evidence.

Someone needs to ask the courts to prosecute them under the law.