Bolsonaro supporters are targeting Edson Fachin on social media; the Supreme Court Justice will preside over the Superior Electoral Court.

Caroline Oliveira, from Brasil de Fato - Supreme Court Justice Edson Fachin has become the target of attacks from Bolsonaro supporters on social media, just one week before he is due to assume the presidency of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE).

On Wednesday (16), the magistrate declared, alongside ministers Luís Roberto Barroso and Alexandre de Moraes, that “the Electoral Justice may already be under attack by hackers, not only from criminal activities, but also from countries, such as Russia, that do not have adequate control legislation”, in a TSE transition meeting broadcast live. Fachin also stated that Brazil is experiencing “authoritarian populism”, but that “democracy will triumph in 2022”. 

>>> Bolsonaro suggests he was instrumental in easing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and calls Orbán, from the far right, his "brother."

The statement was made on the same day that President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin for lunch at the Kremlin in Moscow. Whether this was a coincidence or not, it generated a wave of outrage from Bolsonaro's allies on social media against Fachin, and his name became a trending topic on Twitter. 

"Minister Fachin, along with Barroso and Alexandre de Moraes, insults Russia on the day that President Putin receives President Bolsonaro in Moscow. Unbelievable, inopportune, inconceivable, anti-democratic," stated federal deputy Carlos Jordy (PSL-RJ). 

>>> Bolsonaro attacks Supreme Court and Superior Electoral Court justices: 'They want to make me ineligible and elect their candidate'

Federal Deputy General Girão Monteiro (PSL-RS) posted: “Hey Fachin, what’s this story about “Brazil living under authoritarian populism”? Let’s stop the political activism within the Supreme Court. This isn’t in the “little book.” Or perhaps you don’t know it, just like some of your peers? Respect is a two-way street. Pushing the limits is dangerous.” 

Márcio Furtado, pre-candidate for federal deputy for Espírito Santo and former superintendent at the Ministry of Economy, stated, “What a slip-up by Fachin. Saying that the ballot boxes are vulnerable to ‘Russian’ hacker attacks accelerates the shift towards a complete audit of the electoral process. While the Chamber wants to discuss the Fake News Bill and ban Telegram: they know that Bolsonaro is WAY ahead of the PT.” 

>>> Barroso rejects Bolsonaro's attacks, but says there is no threat to democracy and that the military will not get involved in politics.

Along the same lines, Bruno Engler (PRTB), a state deputy in Minas Gerais and supporter of the president, said, “Minister Fachin, alongside Barroso and Xandão, insults Russia on the day that President Putin receives President Bolsonaro in Moscow. Unbelievable, inopportune, inconceivable, and undemocratic!” 

On two social media platforms, Bolsonaro declared that Fachin's "regrettable" statement created embarrassment during his trip to Russia. "I am in Moscow, still on Russian soil. A criticism from, in fact, 3 TSE (Superior Electoral Court) authorities who are also members of the STF (Supreme Federal Court)... it is sad and embarrassing for me to receive this accusation as if Russia were behaving like a digital terrorist country. They are certain, Fachin, Barroso, and Mr. Alexandre de Moraes, that I am in Russia. This type of statement is regrettable. I confess that, if I hadn't seen the images and it were written material, I would have said it was fake news." 

Currently, Barroso is the president of the TSE (Superior Electoral Court). After Fachin, Moraes will assume the presidency of the Court in August of this year. 

Subscribe to 247, Support via Pix, Subscribe to TV 247, in the channel Cuts 247 and watch: