Brazilian Federal Police Raid Carlos Bolsonaro’s Properties in Spy Probe Escalation

The political landscape in Brazil took an abrupt and intense turn as federal police raided properties linked to Carlos Bolsonaro on Monday, in a significant development of an ongoing investigation into suspected espionage carried out during his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro's, administration. The Brazilian federal police are probing accusations that under the previous government there was illegal spying on political foes.

Carlos Bolsonaro, currently serving as city councillor in Rio de Janeiro, is not unfamiliar with controversy. He has been embroiled in a Supreme Court probe accused of disseminating fake news from within the presidential palace. Although Carlos has adamantly denied any misconduct, he has yet to issue comments regarding the recent police operations that further tighten the web of scrutiny around him.

The ripple of the search through Carlos' properties reverberated across Brazil as it suggested a significant intensification in the spy probe, drawing focus to the innermost circle of the Bolsonaro clan. Jair Bolsonaro, confronted with his own battles including a declaration rendering him politically ineligible until 2030, could face graver legal consequences — potentially even imprisonment over multiple investigations.

These investigations predominantly centre around allegations that the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin) was engaged in unlawful surveillance activities during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency. In a detailed statement, the police disclosed that they executed eight warrants across Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, and other cities aiming to uncover the core receivers and beneficiaries of the illicit Abin information, which were reportedly gathered through covert operations.

Under the microscope is the supposed use of an Israeli software named First Mile by Carlos Bolsonaro. This software allegedly enables the tracking of private cellphone locations and is the subject of speculation whether it contributed to a larger scheme of disseminating fake news aimed at his father's political rivals.

The federal police source stressed the need for a more profound investigation following suspicions about the Bolsonaro family possibly leveraging acquired data for fabricating and distributing false information.

The previous week's police operations also cast a shadow over Alexandre Ramagem, a close ally to Bolsonaro and former head of Abin, as well as a present congressman and prospective mayoral candidate for Rio. Ramagem, accused of employing the controversial spyware to monitor political adversaries, has rebuked allegations of any malpractice.

Events took a more drastic turn when Supreme Court documents were unveiled last Thursday, exposing charges against the intelligence agency of conducting unauthorized surveillance on a minimum of three Supreme Court Justices and a former Lower House speaker during Jair Bolsonaro's presidency. These ongoing legal predicaments present a significant challenge to the Bolsonaro family, potentially reshaping the political narrative in Brazil.