Rapporteur of the coup plot process, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), requested this Saturday (29) proof of General Augusto Heleno’s health history to decide on the defense’s request to serve the 21-year sentence under house arrest, due to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and a history of depressive disorder and mixed anxiety-depressive disorder.
According to the defense of the general, who is 78 years old and is being held in a special cell at the Planalto Military Command (CMP), in Brasília, he has been experiencing psychiatric and cognitive symptoms since 2018.
In an order, Moraes demanded the annexation of documents proving the health status of Jair Bolsonaro’s former minister.
“No document, examination, report, news or proof of the presence of symptoms contemporaneous to the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 was added to the case; including the period in which the defendant held the position of Minister of State of the Institutional Security Office, whose structure encompasses the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) – responsible for intelligence information sensitive to National Sovereignty -, since all the exams accompanying the medical report were carried out in 2024”, pointed out the STF judge.
The granting of house arrest in favor of Augusto Heleno received favorable opinion from the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), in a statement published this Friday (28), but the final decision on the claim will be made by the STF.
Alexandre de Moraes ordered Heleno’s defense to add to the case file, within 5 days, the initial examination that would have identified or recorded symptoms or diagnosis of mixed dementia (Alzheimer’s and vascular) and all reports, exams, medical, neuropsychological and psychiatric evaluations produced since 2018, “including medical records, evolution reports, prescriptions and related documents that prove the allegations”.
The judge also requested “documents proving consultations and the doctors who monitored the evolution of mixed dementia, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia throughout this period.”
Finally, Moraes asked for clarification, from the defense, whether, due to the position held between 2019 and 2022, the defendant had communicated his diagnosis of cognitive deterioration to the health service of the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry or some other body.
Conviction
Augusto Heleno, former president Jair Bolsonaro and five other allies began serving their sentences this Tuesday (25) after the Federal Supreme Court (STF) ordered the end of the process for the defendants in Core 1 of the coup plot that planned to prevent the inauguration of Luís Inácio Lula da Silva as president of the Republic in 2023.
The sentencing took place on the day September 11th. By 4 votes to 1, the First Panel of the STF convicted the seven defendants for the crimes of:
- Armed criminal organization,
- Attempt to violently abolish the Democratic Rule of Law,
- Coup d’état,
- Damage qualified by violence and serious threat and
- Deterioration of listed heritage.
