A Brazilian federal court has ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to pay 1 million reais (US$188,865) in damages for collective moral harm caused by racist comments he made while in office, according to Reuters.
The ruling stems from a May 2021 incident in which Bolsonaro made derogatory remarks to a Black supporter who had asked to take a photo with him. Bolsonaro joked about seeing a cockroach in the man’s hair and referred to it as a “cockroach breeding ground,” implying it was unclean.
Bolsonaro’s legal team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. They have previously argued that the remarks were intended as jokes and not meant to cause offense.
The decision comes less than a week after Supreme Federal Court of Brazil sentenced the former president and ex-army captain to 27 years and three months in prison for attempting a coup d’état following his failed 2022 reelection bid.
Tuesday’s ruling also coincides with Bolsonaro being hospitalized in Brasília after falling ill at his home, where he remains under house arrest.