The Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, insisted this Tuesday (9) on the conviction of the six defendants from Nucleus 2 of the coup plot that tried to keep former president Jair Bolsonaro illegally in power. For Gonet, the accused played a “decisive” role in the plan to attack the Democratic Rule of Law.
In oral argument, Gonet exposed the role of each defendant in the plot and the facts that, in his opinion, characterize a crime. “It is certain that those accused in this case adhered to illicit purposes”, stated the attorney general.
At the beginning of his exposition, he emphasized the Yellow Green Punhal plana document found in the investigations and which outlined in detail a power grab operation in 2022, including the assassination of then-elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, elected vice-president Geraldo Alckmin and minister Alexandre de Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF).
Gonet highlighted that one of the defendants, General Mário Fernandes, assumed responsibility for the plan in his testimony in court. “The fact that the then executive secretary of the Presidency of the Republic openly confessed in court that he conceived the murderous plan and printed it on the premises of Palácio do Planalto makes it clear that the shocking facts narrated in the complaint correspond to reality”, he stated.
The prosecution also pointed out the mobilization of the Federal Highway Police (PRF) to disrupt the movement of voters on the day of the second round of voting in 2022especially in areas in which Lula had obtained better results in the first round.
Nucleus 2 is also involved with the design and writing of the so-called “coup draft”a draft decree to be signed by Bolsonaro to decree an intervention in the Electoral Court and prevent Lula from taking office. The text provided for the arrest of Moraes, then president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), and the seizure of the headquarters of the Electoral Court by military forces.
They are defendants in Core 2 of the coup plot that tried to keep former president Jair Bolsonaro in power despite defeat in the 2022 elections:
- Filipe Martins, former international affairs advisor to Bolsonaro;
- Marcelo Câmara, former advisor to Bolsonaro;
- Silvinei Vasques, former director of the Federal Highway Police (PRF);
- Mário Fernandes, Army reserve general;
- Marília de Alencar, former director of Intelligence at the Ministry of Justice
- Fernando de Sousa Oliveira, former director of Operations at the Ministry of Justice.
All are accused of the crimes of armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup d’état, qualified damage through violence and serious threat and deterioration of listed property.
Throughout the process, all defenses denied their clients’ involvement in the coup plot and accused the PGR of not presenting sufficient evidence for a conviction. After Gonet, it is the defenses’ turn to speak from the stand of the First Panel of the Supreme Court, where the trial takes place.
Other cores
To date, the STF has convicted 24 defendants for the coup plot. The convicts are part of groups 1, led by former president Jair Bolsonaro, 3 and 4.
Nucleus 5 is formed by the defendant Paulo Figueiredo, grandson of the former president of the dictatorship João Figueiredo. He lives in the United States and there is no date for the trial.
