On Friday (Apr. 11), the Federal Supreme Court opened criminal proceedings against former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven others accused of plotting a coup. They are part of the first group identified in the investigation.
The measure is a procedural formality to comply with the First Panel’s decision, which accepted the complaint from the Attorney General’s Office and formally charged Bolsonaro, General Braga Netto, and others.
With the opening of the criminal proceedings, the defendants will now face charges of belonging to an 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 protected heritage.
The criminal case also marks the beginning of the trial phase, during which defense attorneys may call witnesses and request the production of new evidence to support their arguments. The defendants will be questioned at the end of this stage. The proceedings will be overseen by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the case’s rapporteur.
Once the investigation is concluded, the trial will be scheduled, and the justices will decide whether the former president and the other defendants will be convicted or acquitted. A trial date has not yet been set.
If convicted, the combined sentences for the crimes could exceed 30 years in prison.
The Supreme Court published the First Panel’s ruling on Friday (11). The 500-page document outlines the panel’s decision.
Nuclei
So far, only the complaint against Nucleus 1 of defendants has been reviewed. In March, former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven others were unanimously indicted.
Nucleus 2 will stand trial on April 22 and 23. The group consists of six defendants, all accused of orchestrating actions to “sustain Bolsonaro’s illegitimate hold on power” in 2022.
The complaint against Nucleus 3 will be reviewed on May 20 and 21. The defendants in this group—11 Army service members and a Federal Police officer—are accused of planning “tactical actions” to execute the coup plot.
Translated by Mario Nunes
