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Quick Hit:

In a stunning display of political persecution, Brazil’s Supreme Federal Tribunal sentenced conservative former President Jair Bolsonaro to 27 years in prison on trumped-up charges of “crimes against democracy.” The ruling, driven by leftist judges loyal to radical President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, effectively ends Bolsonaro’s political career and underscores the growing use of weaponized courts to silence conservative leaders.

Key Details:

• Bolsonaro was sentenced to 27 years and 3 months in prison on charges critics say were fabricated to eliminate him from politics.
• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the conviction as a “witch hunt,” promising America will respond.
• President Donald Trump has already imposed heavy tariffs on Brazil and sanctioned the lead judge, Alexandre de Moraes, for human rights abuses.

Diving Deeper:

The conviction of Jair Bolsonaro marks an unprecedented step in Brazil’s descent into judicial tyranny. A panel of just five STF justices, led by notorious censorship crusader Alexandre de Moraes, claimed Bolsonaro plotted a coup to overturn the 2022 election. Only one justice, Luiz Fux, dissented, while the others rubber-stamped Lula’s narrative of a “digital militia” undermining democracy.

In reality, Bolsonaro’s true crime was daring to challenge Brazil’s rigged electoral system and standing in the way of Lula’s return to power. The conviction is less about defending democracy and more about crushing political opposition. By sentencing Bolsonaro to nearly three decades behind bars and slapping him with a permanent ban from public office, Brazil’s courts have ensured that the conservative movement’s most powerful leader is silenced.

Internationally, outrage is building. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the ruling as an act of persecution by sanctioned human rights abuser de Moraes, warning the U.S. “will respond accordingly.” Bolsonaro’s lawyers are preparing appeals to international courts, arguing that due process was shredded in a show trial orchestrated by Lula’s allies.

The Trump administration has already taken decisive action, slapping a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods and targeting de Moraes with Global Magnitsky sanctions for his authoritarian crackdown on free speech. Bolsonaro’s conviction is certain to deepen tensions with Washington, as conservatives see the case as a test of whether global elites can jail and silence opposition figures without consequence.

For Bolsonaro’s supporters, the ruling is proof that Brazil is sliding into dictatorship under the banner of “defending democracy.” What Lula and his allies call justice looks to many more like the criminalization of conservative thought — a warning of what happens when the Left is allowed to use courts as political weapons.

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Mariane Angela

Former NYPD Inspector Paul Mauro said on Fox Business Friday that the family of Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin feared a violent raid and ultimately chose to turn the suspect in to avoid a potential tragedy.

Authorities identified the suspected shooter in Kirk’s assassination as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, after a family friend tipped off law enforcement Thursday evening. In an appearance on “Kudlow,” Mauro laid out what he called the timeline of the suspect’s escape and subsequent surrender.

“By the end of 9-11, the father has called a retired U.S. Marshal. This town down south, St. George, has a lot of retirees. It’s kind of a retirement community. He knew this guy. He calls that guy and tells him, ‘My son is the perpetrator,’” Mauro told Larry Kudlow. “Unclear if the son had admitted it or not. But apparently what was going on is that the family was concerned that if they didn’t turn him in, somebody else was going to, and it was a fear that they could be, as the police call it, a kinetic entry.”

Mauro said the family of the alleged Kirk assassin feared a violent confrontation if authorities discovered his location first, prompting them to arrange a peaceful surrender.

WATCH: 

“That is to say, the cops come booming the doors, taking them in a rougher way, and maybe something goes sideways. The kid could get hurt or worse. So they wanted to prevent that. The family wanted to make sure that this was done orderly. They knew that the gig was up and that he was going to get arrested. They then went with either this second person, the retiree, or a minister. And a minister in Latter-day Saints is different from ministers that you and I think about.”

Mauro said the suspect’s family bypassed traditional law enforcement channels and brought him directly to the Washington County Jail.

“It’s a much more immediate relationship. Some sort of crew like this went to the sheriff’s office. And that’s why he was in the custody of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. That’s a jail. They run the jails,” Mauro said. “They went right to the jail, gave them up to the Washington County Sheriff. There must have been some connection there. Somebody knew somebody. They took him in. The sheriff notifies the task force, and you know the rest.”

Authorities say Robinson fatally shot Kirk as he spoke to students at Utah Valley University. After recognizing his son in photos released by investigators, Robinson’s father confronted the 22-year-old and alerted law enforcement, according to sources cited by the New York Post.

Robinson reportedly told his father he’d rather take his own life than surrender, according to the outlet. His father urged him to speak with their youth pastor, who happened to be affiliated with the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force.

Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday that investigators discovered taunting and vulgar phrases etched onto the shell casings used in the shooting such as “Hey fascist! Catch!” and “If you read this you are gay LMAO.” Another inscription referenced “bella ciao,” a wartime Italian folk song later adopted by leftist resistance movements, according to George Mason University.