The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) requested the Supreme Federal Court (STF) this Monday (14) to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven other defendants from the first nucleus of the coup plot.
The statement was sent to Justice Alexandre de Moraes at around 11:45 pm and is part of the closing arguments, the final phase before the trial of the accused, which is expected to take place in September of this year.
In the 517-page document, Attorney General Paulo Gonet argues that Bolsonaro and the other defendants should be convicted of the grave crimes of forming an armed criminal organization, attempting to violently overthrow the Democratic Rule of Law, coup d’état, causing damage qualified by violence and serious threat, and damaging listed heritage.
The maximum sentences for these crimes exceed 30 years in prison.
In addition to Bolsonaro, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) requested the conviction of the following defendants:
• Walter Braga Netto, Army general, former minister, and Bolsonaro’s running mate in the 2022 election.
• General Augusto Heleno, former Minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet;
• Alexandre Ramagem, former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN);
• Anderson Torres, former Minister of Justice and former Secretary of Security for the Federal District;
• Almir Garnier, former Navy commander;
• Paulo Sérgio Nogueira, Army general and former Minister of Defense;
• Mauro Cid, whistleblower and former aide-de-camp to Bolsonaro.
If convicted, Cid’s sentence will likely be suspended due to the plea bargain agreement signed with the Federal Police (PF) during the investigation.
Bolsonaro
In his statement, the Attorney General underscored the pivotal role of former President Jair Bolsonaro in the coup plot, emphasizing the weight of his actions.
According to him, Bolsonaro is the leader of a criminal organization and was the “main architect and greatest beneficiary” of the actions aimed at attempting to implement a coup d’état in the country in 2022.
In Gonet’s words, the former president instrumentalized the state apparatus and operated a “persistent scheme” to attack public institutions and the succession process after the presidential election results.
“With the support of high-ranking government officials and strategic sectors of the Armed Forces, he systematically mobilized state agents, resources, and powers, disregarding the public interest, to propagate false narratives, provoke social instability, and defend authoritarian measures,” the prosecutor said.
Next Steps
With the presentation of the PGR’s statement, the 15-day deadline begins for the defense of Mauro Cid, a whistleblower in the investigation, to present their closing arguments to the Supreme Court.
The defendants’ defenses will then present their arguments within the same period.
After receiving all submissions, the trial date will be set by the Court’s First Chamber.
Behind the scenes at the Supreme Court, the trial is expected to take place in September of this year.
Source: Agência Brasil