Brazil's supreme court opens probe into funding for ex-president's film

Brasilia, May 16 Brazil's Supreme Federal Court has ordered an investigation into the possible diversion of parliamentary funds to cultural projects, including a film about former President Jair Bolsonaro.

The order was issued by Justice Flavio Dino on Friday (local time) after a complaint filed earlier this year by lawmaker Tabata Amaral of the Brazilian Socialist Party.

Amaral alleged that public funds allocated through parliamentary amendments may have been used for electoral marketing and audiovisual content linked to Bolsonaro, who is serving a sentence for an attempted coup, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the complaint, several lawmakers from Bolsonaro's Liberal Party allegedly transferred a total of 2.6 million reais (about 514,000 US dollars) from parliamentary amendments.

The case came amid media reports that Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the former president's son and a presidential hopeful, sought 130 million reais (about 25 million dollars) from a private banker currently jailed on fraud charges.

The funds were reportedly intended for a feature film titled "Dark Horse" about Bolsonaro's life.

Brazilian authorities are seeking to determine whether public budget funds were illegally linked to the financing of the production. The case remains under seal while evidence is being gathered.

Last week, on May 9, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court temporarily suspended a law that could shorten prison terms for individuals convicted over the January 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings, including former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who was assigned to review the law's constitutionality, issued the decision.

In his ruling, Moraes said the suspension was necessary to ensure legal certainty while the court determines whether the law is compatible with Brazil's constitution.

Bolsonaro was sentenced by the Supreme Federal Court in September last year to 27 years and three months in prison for leading an attempted coup.

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