Who is Sergio Moro, the lawyer taking on Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro?

The former justice minister quit in April accusing Bolsonaro of attempting to interfere with police investigations by firing the nation’s top police officer

While Moro left office disillusioned, any political ambitions he harbours for the next election in 2022 may depend on whether he proves he has not lied

Reading Time:5 minutes

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (L) with former justice minister Sergio Moro. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:21pm, 7 May 2020Updated: 2:21pm, 7 May 2020

The legal star who brought down a ring of corrupt politicians and business leaders in Brazil is back in the hunt.

Sergio Moro’s challenge now is to prove his allegations against Jair Bolsonaro – even if it means the possible impeachment of another Brazilian president. A darling of the public, any political ambitions he harbours for the next election in 2022 may depend on whether he proves he has not lied.

Moro abandoned a 22-year career as a federal judge to become justice minister and one of the highest profile members of Bolsonaro’s government when he took office at the start of 2019.

He quit on April 24 publicly accusing Bolsonaro of attempting to interfere with police investigations by firing the nation’s top police officer, allegations the president dismissed as baseless.

Fifteen months after his first foray into politics, Moro, 47, left government deeply disillusioned, said two people familiar with his thinking who asked not to be named discussing personal matters.

“I owed the truth to the Brazilian population. It wasn’t my intention to damage the government,” Moro said in written answers to questions. “The outcome of these revelations aren’t under my control.”

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