Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is currently under investigation for allegedly harassing a humpback whale while riding a personal watercraft off Sao Paulo's coast last year. The incident, which was captured in a video that circulated on social media in June 2023, shows a man on a personal watercraft approaching the whale at a distance closer than the legal requirement.
Under Brazilian legislation, motored vessels are required to maintain a minimum distance of 100 meters from whales and other cetaceans. Any intentional attempt to get closer can result in a sentence of up to two to five years in prison and a fine. Prosecutors have noted that the man on the watercraft, believed to be Bolsonaro, was approximately 15 meters from the animal at the time of the incident.
In addition to this investigation, Bolsonaro is facing a series of legal challenges since leaving office a year ago. He has been banned from running for office until 2030, investigated for allegedly plotting a coup to remove his successor from power, and stripped of his passport.
Recently, Bolsonaro was questioned by officers in Brasilia for his alleged involvement in a coup plot to declare the 2022 election vote fraudulent if he had lost to his leftist opponent, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Despite losing the election, the alleged plan was never executed. Bolsonaro has also been ruled ineligible to run for office until 2030 due to his actions casting doubts on the country's electronic voting system.
Furthermore, Bolsonaro and his associates have faced scrutiny for various other incidents, including an attempt to smuggle in diamond jewelry and the sale of luxury watches received as gifts while in office. Police are also investigating allegations of spying on Bolsonaro's political opponents during his term as president.
While Bolsonaro denies any wrongdoing, legal experts suggest that if it is proven he intentionally approached the whale, he may face a fine at most. A local politician found guilty of similar charges in the same location was fined just over $500.
