Brazil: Supreme Court to rule on indictments of six coup plot suspects
This Tuesday (Apr. 22), the First of Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court will begin proceedings to decide whether six of nucleus 2 of the coup plot will be formally charged.
The group includes Filipe Martins (former international affairs advisor to former president Jair Bolsonaro); Marcelo Câmara (former Bolsonaro aide); Silvinei Vasques (former head of the Federal Highway Police); Mário Fernandes (Army general); Marília de Alencar (former intelligence director at the Ministry of Justice); and Fernando de Sousa Oliveira (former operations director at the Ministry of Justice). Alencar and Oliveira are both linked to former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, who has already been indicted.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, they are accused of orchestrating actions to “ Bolsonaro’s illegitimate attempt to remain in power.”
The accusations include drafting a coup plan, preparing a document to legally justify the attempted seizure of power at the end of Bolsonaro’s term, monitoring Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, and using the Federal Highway Police to obstruct voters from the Northeast during the 2022 elections.
In addition to today’s session, the has scheduled a follow-up session for Wednesday morning (23) to conclude the case review.
If a majority of justices approve the indictments, the accused will become defendants and face criminal proceedings that will result in either acquittal or conviction.
Crimes
The Attorney General’s Office noted that the maximum penalty for crimes such as attacks on democracy and public property could exceed 30 years in prison. The accused face charges of:
- Armed criminal organization (3 to 8 years)
- Attempted violent overthrow of the democratic rule of law (4 to 8 years)
- Coup d’état (4 to 12 years)
- Damage with violence and serious threat (6 months to 3 years)
- Damage to listed heritage (1 to 3 years)
First
The case will be heard by the Supreme Court’s First , consisting of the rapporteur, Justice Alexandre de Moraes, and Justices Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Cármen Lúcia, and Luiz Fux.
Under the Court’s procedural rules, criminal cases are heard by its two s. Since the rapporteur is a member of the First , the indictment will be reviewed by this collegiate body.
So far, only the complaint against nucleus 1 has been tried. Last month, former president Jair Bolsonaro and seven others were unanimously convicted. Three additional charges are yet to be heard.
