The (Attorney General’s Office) argued that the ministers and, of the (Supreme Federal Court), participate in the judgment of the complaint against the former president () for an alleged attempted coup.
Bolsonaro’s defense had argued that Zanin and Dino have already sued the former president in the past. The request for them not to participate in the trial was denied by the President of the Court, Luis Roberto Barroso, but the former president’s lawyers appealed.
However, Barroso’s decision against Bolsonaro’s request remains “unchanged,” according to the attorney general,. “The factual and legal situation that authorized the denial of follow-up to the impediment argument remains unchanged, and there is no new basis for modifying the understanding already established by the eminent Minister President in the decision of 28.2.2025,” he said.
Regarding Dino’s impediment, the prosecutor stated that “the events pointed out by the aggravating party as imparters of the impartiality of the eminent Minister Flávio Dino are incompatible with the hypotheses provided for […] In addition, as synthesized in the aggravated decision, the jurisprudence of the Federal Supreme Court does not allow extensive or expanding interpretation of the exhaustive list of impediment provided for in criminal procedural legislation. “
Regarding Zanin’s impediment, Gonet stated that it was “finally, the reception of the intended question of order, since the deed is regularly being processed before the first class of the Court and there is no circumstances to authorize the modification of the competence already established. In addition, the argument of impediment and suspicion is an inappropriate means to discuss the matter”.
The STF session that will decide whether Bolsonaro will become a defendant will be on March 25. From the judgment of the complaint, the first class of the Supreme Court will decide whether to open the criminal action against Bolsonaro and other accused. The minister summoned three class sessions to analyze the complaint, two on the 25th (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and an extraordinary session on the 26th.
In the sessions, the PGR and the defenses will be heard, and the ministers will give their votes. Minister Alexandre de Moraes released the case for trial after receiving PGR demonstration on the defenses. Paulo Gonet countered requests from the accused and argued that the complaint be analyzed.
In addition to the former president, this group is part of former ministers Augusto Heleno (GSI), Braga Netto (Civil House), Paulo Sérgio Nogueira (defense) and Anderson Torres (justice), as well as former Navy commander Almir Garnier and federal deputy Alexandre Ramagem (PL-RJ), who at the time was director of ABIN (Brazilian Intelligence Agency).
The former president denied that there was an attempt to blow and criticized the progress of the complaint in the Supreme Court. He stated that “due process of law, here it works at the speed of light.” Like other indicted, he has reiterated himself to consider himself the target of persecution.
“It seems that due process of law, around here, it works at the speed of light. But only when the target is first in all polls for the President of the Republic in the 2026 elections,” said the former president on social networks.
The first class of the Supreme Court is composed by Alexandre de Moraes, Cármen Lúcia, Cristiano Zanin, Flávio Dino and Luiz Fux. Since 2023, criminal actions have been judged in the classes to give more agility to the processes.
Moraes, rapporteur of the case, will evaluate if there are enough elements for the complaint to be brought to trial. The ministers will decide whether it meets the requirements required by law, which support the accusations. If the complaint is rejected, the case will be filed.
If the prosecution is accepted, the accused will become defendants and the process will go to the instructional phase. At this point, evidence will be collected, hearings of witnesses and analyzed documents that may reinforce or weaken the accusation.
