MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolsonaro's conviction requested by PGR

In Gonet's words, Bolsonaro was the main beneficiary of the plot

Brazil's Attorney General's Office (PGR) on Monday filed a request before Supreme Federal Court (STF) Justice Alexandre De Moraes to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven other defendants belonging to the so-called “group 1” of the Jan. 8, 2023, uprising.

The document is part of the prosecution's closing arguments, the last phase before the trial, which is expected to take place in September this year.

In the 517-page briefing, Attorney General Paulo Gonet argues that Bolsonaro and the other defendants should be convicted of the crimes of armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d'état, damage qualified by violence and serious threat, and deterioration of listed heritage. The maximum penalties for these crimes exceed 30 years in prison.

In addition to Bolsonaro, the PGR requested the conviction of the following defendants:

Walter Braga Netto, Army general, former minister, and Bolsonaro's running mate in the 2022 elections;

General Augusto Heleno, former minister of the Institutional Security Office;

Alexandre Ramagem, former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin);

Anderson Torres, former Justice Minister and former Secretary of Security of 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 is expected to have his sentence suspended due to the plea bargain agreement signed with the Federal Police (PF) during the investigations.

At the hearing, the attorney general described the role of former President Jair Bolsonaro in the coup plot.

According to him, Bolsonaro is the leader of the criminal organization and was the “main orchestrator and biggest beneficiary” of the actions to try to stage a coup d'état in the country in 2022.

In Gonet's words, the former president instrumentalized the state apparatus and operated in a “persistent scheme” to attack public institutions and the succession process after the presidential election results.

“With the support of high-ranking members of the government and strategic sectors of the Armed Forces, he systematically mobilized state agents, resources, and competencies, contrary to the public interest, to spread false narratives, provoke social instability, and defend authoritarian measures,” said the prosecutor.

With the submission of the PGR's statement, the 15-day period begins for the defense of Mauro Cid, a whistleblower in the investigation, to present its final arguments to the STF.

Next, it will be the defendants' turn to present their arguments within the same time frame.

After receiving all the statements, the trial date will be set by the First Panel of the STF. It is expected to take place in September this year. (Source: Agencia Brasil)