International

Brazil: Court bans Bolsonaro from running in elections until 2030

Photo: AP

June 30 |

Brazil’s top electoral court on Friday voted overwhelmingly in favor of banning former President Jair Bolsonaro from holding public office until 2030, over allegations that he abused his power in last year’s tense election.

Four judges on the court voted in favor of convicting Bolsonaro, who narrowly lost the October election to leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of abuse of political power and misuse of the media, while one did not.

While the judges who voted earlier could still change their minds, Bolsonaro’s fate appears to be sealed.

Bolsonaro, a former army captain who narrowly lost the October election to leftist rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, is accused of creating a nationwide movement to overturn the result, which culminated in the invasion of government buildings in Brasilia on January 8 by thousands of his supporters.

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The chief judge in the case, Benedito Goncalves, voted earlier this week to make the former president ineligible for eight years, saying he had “used the meeting with ambassadors to sow doubts and incite conspiracy theories.”

Bolsonaro denies wrongdoing and has already said he plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

“I have not attacked the voting system, I only showed its possible flaws,” Bolsonaro said in an interview with radio station Itatiaia on Friday, ahead of the trial. “This trial makes no sense.”

An avowed admirer of former U.S. President Donald Trump, Bolsonaro was criticized internationally for his lackluster management of the Amazon rainforest, his laissez-faire approach to COVID-19 restrictions and his evidence-free attacks on Brazil’s electoral system.

The TSE trial is part of a broader reckoning in Brazil with the fallout from the country’s most painful election in a generation. As the former president faces electoral court scrutiny, many of his former allies are being questioned by lawmakers in a congressional investigation into the Jan. 8 riots.

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Bolsonaro is not at risk of jail time in the election case, although the 68-year-old separately faces multiple separate criminal investigations that could still put him behind bars.

Related Topics:Bolsonaro Brazil elections 2030

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Mexico City Mayor Invites U2 to Perform at Iconic Zócalo Plaza

Irish rock band U2, which spent Tuesday and Wednesday filming a new music video for its song Street of Dreams in the Historic Center of Mexico City, received an invitation to perform at the capital’s iconic Zócalo square from Mayor Clara Brugada.

Brugada shared the invitation through social media posts accompanied by photos and a video showing her meeting with the band members.

“This is an invitation for you to perform in our wonderful public square, the Zócalo. You are welcome here, and we would love to have you,” Brugada said in the video while handing a document to Bono, the band’s lead singer.

Bono responded by saying that the group would like “to begin its new tour in Mexico City.”

Referencing one of the band’s most famous songs, In the Name of Love, Brugada said she was greeting Bono along with The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr..

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“Welcoming U2 to our capital means celebrating music, connection and the emotion that can be felt in every corner of this city,” Brugada wrote in one of her messages. “We are a city open to the world, vibrant and full of stories shared from the stage to the streets.”

She also described the Zócalo as “the country’s most important public square” and a cultural landmark for Latin America.

Over the years, the Zócalo has hosted massive concerts by internationally renowned artists and bands including Roger Waters, Paul McCartney, Manu Chao, Café Tacvba, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Los Tigres del Norte, La Maldita Vecindad, Silvio Rodríguez, Joan Manuel Serrat, Rosalía and Shakira, drawing hundreds of thousands of fans.

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Marco Rubio Urges China to Help Restrain Iran Amid Gulf Tensions

Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Washington hopes to persuade China to take a more active role in stopping Iran from escalating tensions in the Persian Gulf, arguing that the crisis directly threatens Asian commercial interests.

“It is in China’s interest to resolve this situation. We hope to convince them to play a more active role in getting Iran to stop what it is doing now and trying to do in the Persian Gulf,” Rubio said during an interview with journalist Sean Hannity on Fox News while traveling aboard Air Force One.

The top U.S. diplomat said the conflict and concerns over the possible disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have already affected China’s interests.

Rubio noted that “a Chinese cargo ship was struck over the weekend,” referring to the exchange of attacks reported last Friday between Iran and the United States.

The remarks come amid growing international concern over rising tensions in the region and the potential impact on global trade routes and energy supplies.

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International

Trump floats Vance-Rubio potential Republican ticket for 2028 election

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubiocould potentially form a Republican presidential ticket for the 2028 elections.

Speaking during a dinner with law enforcement officials as part of National Police Week, Trump publicly praised both officials and said they could make “an ideal team” for the next presidential race.

“Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Trump asked attendees before adding that the pair “sound like a good combination.”

The president highlighted his vice president’s performance in office, stating that their current partnership has been highly effective. “JD is perfect, that has been a perfect formula,” Trump told reporters later.

He further suggested that a Vance-Rubio pairing could represent a strong presidential and vice-presidential ticket, although he stopped short of offering any formal endorsement.

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“I think it sounds like a presidential candidate and a vice-presidential candidate,” he said, while clarifying that his remarks should not be interpreted as an official backing of any future campaign.

So far, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly confirmed any intention to run in the 2028 presidential election.

Rubio previously sought the Republican nomination in 2016 but withdrew after losing the primary race to Trump. Later, in a December 2025 interview with Vanity Fair, he said he would be among the first to support Vance if he decided to run for the White House.

Vance, meanwhile, has recently dismissed speculation of any political rivalry with Rubio amid growing discussion about potential future GOP leadership.