Two out of five Supreme Court justices have found former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro guilty of orchestrating a coup following his loss in the 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. For a conviction to be finalized, at least one additional justice must also find him guilty. Bolsonaro has denied all allegations against him.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the first to vote, stated there was “no doubt” about a coup attempt after the election results were announced. Justice Flávio Dino also concurred with all five charges against Bolsonaro. The trial is set to resume on Wednesday at 09:00 local time. A crucial vote will be cast by Justice Luiz Fux, whose decision could determine whether a simple majority for conviction is achieved.
If convicted, Bolsonaro could face a sentence exceeding 40 years in prison. So far, the statements from Justices Moraes and Dino have indicated a strong inclination towards a guilty verdict. Moraes specifically noted that Bolsonaro allegedly led the “criminal organization” behind the coup attempt. Bolsonaro’s legal representative, Celso Vilardi, expressed disagreement with the justices but affirmed respect for the Supreme Court’s decision.
Bolsonaro and seven co-defendants, including military officers, are accused of attempting to undermine Lula’s presidency. The defendants have also denied the charges. During court proceedings, Moraes pointed to evidence of a purported assassination plot targeting Lula, his vice-presidential candidate, and himself. He referenced a document detailing “Operation Green and Yellow Dagger,” purportedly created at the presidential headquarters while Bolsonaro was in office.
According to investigators, the coup attempt did not garner sufficient military backing, though Moraes argued the defendants’ actions led to the storming of government buildings by Bolsonaro supporters on January 8, 2023. Following the unrest, more than 1,500 arrests were made.
Bolsonaro, who is currently under house arrest due to health issues stemming from a stabbing incident in 2018, was not present during the votes. His lawyers indicated he has health concerns affecting his ability to attend court. He has claimed that the trial is politically motivated, aimed at barring him from the 2026 presidential election, although he is already disqualified from holding public office until 2030 due to prior allegations about election integrity.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceq2lv20rp4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss