This Friday (8), the ministers of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) formed a majority to deny appeals and maintain the sentence of former president Fernando Collor de Mello to 8 years and 10 months in prison as part of the Lava Jato operation.
The trial, which takes place in a virtual plenary session, analyzes Collor’s defense resources against a decision taken in 2023, when the former president was convicted of corruption and money laundering. At the time, 8 ministers voted for conviction.
He is accused of having received around R$20 million in bribes from a construction company interested in contracts with a Petrobras subsidiary.
Until early Friday night, the score was 6 votes to 2 to deny Collor’s defense appeals.
Ministers Alexandre de Moraes, rapporteur of the case, Edson Fachin, Flávio Dino, Cármen Lúcia, Roberto Barroso and Luiz Fux voted to maintain Collor’s conviction.
Ministers Dias Toffoli and Gilmar Mendes voted to accept Collor’s defense request and reduce the penalty for the crime of corruption from 4 years and 4 months to 4 years, which would make the crime time-barred.
Ministers Nunes Marques and André Mendonça have not yet voted. Votes can be cast in the virtual plenary until November 11th. Minister Cristiano Zanin is unable to judge the case.
Lava Jato
Collor’s conviction took place within the scope of a process that is an offshoot of Lava Jato.
Collor is accused of receiving bribes in a hiring scheme involving BR Distribuidora, a former subsidiary of Petrobras.
The former president was among the first politicians denounced by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR). The investigation began focusing on suspicions of corruption at Petrobras and later reached other state-owned companies.
