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The former president rejects the accusations; He and seven co-accused risk prison terms of up to 40 years in this “historic” trial.
The former president of Brazil, former president Jair Bolsonaro, testifying for the first time before the country’s Supreme Court, denied participation in an alleged coup to stay in power and cancel the result of the 2022 elections which he lost against the current left president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Bolsonaro, 70, and seven of his relatives allies were questioned Tuesday by a panel of high -level judges as part of a trial for allegations according to which they designed a program in several stages to maintain Bolsonaro in office despite his defeat against Lula.
Bolsonaro and his co -accusation risk prison terms of up to 40 years in a trial nicknamed “historic” – the first for a coup attempt under a democratic government in Brazil.
“This is not the case, your honor,” replied Bolsonaro on Tuesday when asked by judge Alexandre de Moraes – a political enemy of the arc – about “the veracity” of the accusations against him.
“There has never been a discussion on a coup. An state is an abominable thing … Brazil could not go through an experience like this. And there was never the possibility of a coup in my government,” said Bolsonaro.
The conspiracy has only stun, said the charges, due to a clear lack of military support.
Bolsonaro, a former military officer himself. Who is known to express the nostalgia for the country’s previous military dictatorship, openly challenged the Brazil’s judicial system during its 2019-2022 mandate in office.
On Monday, the former right hand of Bolsonaro, Mauro Cid – a co -defender who transformed the state witness – told court that Bolsonaro had “received and read” a draft decree for the declaration of a state of emergency.
He then “published” the document, which would have paved the way for measures to “redo the election” and also envisaged the imprisonment of high -level personalities, including Moraes, said Cid.
CID also testified that he had received money in a wine box from the former Bolsonaro package and Minister of Defense, Walter Braga Clean, who said that the investigators were intended to finance a special troop operation to kill Lula, his vice-president Geraldo Alckmin and Moraes.
‘My conscience is clear’
Apart from CID, the other co-accused are four former clamps and the former heads of the Brazilian naval and intelligence agency.
Most of the people who have taken a position so far have rejected most of the charges in the charges. The defendants are tried standing on five counts: trying to stage a coup, an involvement in an armed criminal organization, an attempt at violent violence of the law of democratic law, aggravated damage and a deterioration of the listed heritage.
A conviction for coup is sentenced to up to 12 years. When combined with the other accusations, the accused could be sentenced up to 40 years behind bars.
Two former army commanders said that Bolsonaro had organized a meeting where the statement of a state of emergency had been discussed as a means of overthrowing Lula’s electoral victory.
Bolsonaro A refused all chargessaying that he is the target of political persecution.
It has already been prohibited in a separate judicial decision to appear in the elections until 2030 for abuse of power when it was in power and threw doubts not based on the country’s electronic voting system. However, he still hopes to come to the presidential elections of 2026.
“They have nothing to condemn me; my conscience is clear,” the former chief told journalists on Monday.
Almir Garnier, who was commander of the Brazilian navy under Bolsonaro, denied that the former president had discussed the declaration of a state of emergency with military officials.
He also denied having offered Bolsonaro all the troops of the Navy.
The headquarters of the Supreme Court in Brasilia was one of the targets of a host of riots of supporters known as “Bolsonaristas” – which Buildings of the government searched in January 2023 As they urged the soldiers to oust Lula, an insurrection attempt that spoke of supporters of Bolsonaro Ally United States, President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021.
Bolsonaro was abroad in Florida at the time of this last effort to keep him in power after planning of the alleged coup d’etat was collapsed. But his opponents accused him of fomenting the riots.
The judges will hear 26 other accused on a later date. The court has already heard dozens of hearing witnesses that started in mid-May.
