A report by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), sent on Tuesday, February 18, to the Federal Supreme Court (STF), lists 34 individuals accused of involvement in the coup plot that led to the January 8 acts.
The PGR report is based on the Federal Police investigation that was carried out last year of Bolsonaro and his allies’ involvement in the January 8 coup attempt. The Federal Police identified seven other key participants in the coup plot.
The PGR’s report accuses Bolsonaro of attempting the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, coup d’état, participating in an armed criminal organization, causing qualified damage, and issuing serious threats against the Union’s patrimony, including the deterioration of listed patrimony.
The charges against the 34 individuals have been divided into five parts to expedite case progression.
If the Supreme Court accepts the charges, Bolsonaro will become a defendant and face criminal proceedings.
In addition to Bolsonaro, other individuals identified by the Brazilian Federal Police as leaders in the coup plot include:
- Alexandre Rodrigues Ramagem: Former director-general of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN).
- Almir Garnier Santos: Former commander of the Brazilian Navy.
- Anderson Gustavo Torres: Former Minister of Justice and Public Security.
- Augusto Heleno Ribeiro Pereira: Former Minister of the Institutional Security Office.
- Mauro Cesar Barbosa Cid: Former head of the Presidential Military Household.
- Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira: Former Minister of Defense.
- Walter Souza Braga Netto: Former Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff of the Presidency.
According to the report, “all of them were aware of the organization’s larger plan and the effectiveness of their actions in promoting social instability and consummating the institutional rupture.”
Background on the indictment
Last November, the former president was indicted by the Federal Police along with his allies. The coup attempt was allegedly planned in 2022 to prevent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s inauguration as President of the Republic after his victory over Bolsonaro in the November elections.
The Federal Police indicated that those involved were divided by tasks, enabling individual accountability. At least six key groups were identified: the Disinformation and Electoral System Attack Group; the Military Incitement Group; the Legal Group; the Operational Support Group for Coup Actions; the Parallel Intelligence Group; and the Operational Group for Coercive Measures.
In addition to Bolsonaro, Army Reserve General Walter Braga Netto, who headed the Civil House; Reserve General Augusto Heleno, former minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet; Alexandre Ramagem, former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN); Valdemar Costa Neto, president of Bolsonaro’s political party; and 32 others were indicted.
Next steps
If the Supreme Court rejects the complaint, the investigation will be closed. However, if the justices accept it, Bolsonaro will become a defendant, and criminal proceedings will begin. This decision can be made by the full Court, consisting of all 11 justices, or by the Court’s First Panel, chaired by Alexandre de Moraes, who also serves as the case rapporteur. The panel includes Cármen Lúcia, Luiz Fux, Cristiano Zanin, and Flávio Dino.
Once the complaint is accepted, the ministers will hear the prosecution and the former president’s defense. During the investigation, witnesses, experts, and defendants will be heard. Finally, the defense and prosecution will present their closing arguments. Only after this stage will the ministers decide whether to convict or acquit.
The other side
In a statement, General Braga Netto’s defense called the accusation “fanciful.” Lawyers José Luis Oliveira Lima and Rodrigo Dall’Acqua claimed that the Federal Police and Federal Prosecution Service ignored the general’s request for clarifications, showing “contempt for a careful and impartial investigation.” The statement added, “It is unacceptable in a democracy, in the democratic rule of law, for so many violations of the right to defense to be made in such a blatant manner.”
During a visit to the Senate on the morning of Tuesday, February 18, Jair Bolsonaro expressed no concerns about the probable indictment. “I don’t have any concerns about the accusations, zero,” he said, speaking to journalists. He met with opposition parliamentarians to discuss, among other things, the push to guarantee amnesty for the January 8 coup plotters.
This article was first published on Brasil de Fato.
