Opening of Bolsonaro trial features speech on defense of Brazilian sovereignty

By Mari Furtado* – From Cenarium

MANAUS (AM) – At the opening of the first day of the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL), this Tuesday, 2, who will not attend due to health reasons, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, rapporteur of the complaint in the Supreme Federal Court (STF), stated that “national sovereignty cannot, must not, and will never be violated, negotiated, or extorted.” The former president and seven other defendants are accused of participating in anti-democratic acts in 2022.

During his speech, Moraes cited Article 1 of the Federal Constitution (CF), which establishes the Federative Republic of Brazil as a Democratic State of Law, founded on sovereignty, citizenship, human dignity, social values of work and free enterprise, and political pluralism.

“In such moments, history teaches us that impunity, omission, and cowardice are not options for pacification, because the path that appears easier, only apparently, which is impunity and omission, leaves traumatic scars on society and corrodes democracy, as, unfortunately, Brazil’s recent past demonstrates,” said the minister.

The defendants face charges of attempted violent abolition of the Democratic State of Law, coup d’état, deterioration of protected heritage, armed criminal organization, aggravated damage, and serious threat. The trial is divided into eight sessions to analyze the case, scheduled for September 2, 3, 9, 10, and 12.

Internal or external pressures

At the opening of the trial on the coup plot, Moraes also mentioned “internal or external pressures” and attempts to coerce the court during the proceedings against Bolsonaro (PL) and the other defendants. The magistrate further stated that pacification is everyone’s desire, but stressed that this goal depends on the application of the law and cannot be achieved with cowardice or impunity.

The statements were made before Moraes began reading the report of the criminal action on the coup plot on Tuesday morning, as the first step in the trial that will define the fate of Bolsonaro and the seven other defendants.

“The pacification of the country depends on respect for the Constitution, the application of the law, and the strengthening of institutions. There is no possibility of confusing healthy and necessary pacification with the cowardice of appeasement, which means impunity and disrespect for the Federal Constitution. And more: it means encouraging new coup attempts,” he said.

Moraes stated that the court is judging the case without interference and is ignoring attempts at obstruction.

“This is the role of the Supreme Federal Court: to judge impartially and apply justice to each concrete case, regardless of threats or coercion, ignoring internal or external pressures,” he declared.

Questions raised

The Attorney General’s Office filed the complaint on February 18. In March, the Court’s First Panel reviewed and accepted the charges and began proceedings on the criminal action.

On June 2, the minister concluded the hearings of witnesses from the core group and, at the end of the session, scheduled the interrogations of the defendants for the following week.

One of the points of criticism was that he was considered suspect to report and judge the case, as investigations indicated him as a possible target of the criminal organization.

Another major disagreement was the delay in sending the full material seized by the Federal Police to the lawyers involved in the case.

The lawyers of Braga Netto accused Moraes of being partial and violating attorney prerogatives. “His suspicion stems from the fact that the complaint names him as the person who would have been victimized by the defendants, making the subjective contamination of the judge natural and evident,” they stated in their final arguments.

(*) With information from Folhapress
Translated from Portuguese by Gustô Alves