The Supreme Court Minister (STF) Alexandre de Moraes decided to withdraw, on Wednesday (26), the confidentiality of a letter sent to the Court by Débora Rodrigues dos Santos, which is being tried for painting the statue “The Justice” in Brasilia during the scammers of 8 January.
In the letter, written in October 2024, Deborah explains that she participated in the protests in Brasilia believing to be a “peaceful manifestation” and states that the act of vandalism – sparing the statue with lipstick – was committed in the “heat of the moment”, with no intention of harming the democratic rule of law. She apologizes, stating that she was unaware of the importance of the statue and deeply regrets what happened.
“Therefore, in the heat of the moment, I even committed such a despicable act. I can assure that it was nothing premeditated,” wrote Deborah, noting that she would never have acted like this if she knew the importance of the monument.
The defendant, who has been in prison since March 17, 2023, expresses in her letter the suffering of her underage children, who, according to her, “are suffering a lot and cry every day” due to their absence. In a tone of regret, Deborah reinforces her desire that “sincere regret” will be taken into account in the analysis of her case.
Despite its attempt at justification, the hairdresser faces serious accusations. She is defendant for attempted coup d’état, damage qualified to public assets, and other crimes. The proposed penalty against her can reach 14 years in prison, considering the sum of the crimes she committed.
In the specific case of graffiti, it is accused of deteriorating the overturned assets, with a maximum penalty of three years, but the inclusion of other crimes – as an attempt to coup and violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law – raise the total sentence.
The case of Debora Rodrigues mobilized allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who question the proportionality of the penalty. The defendant’s defense claims that she is being punished “just for having gone lipstick in a statue”, classifying punishment as a “legal error.”
The pocket base has also been articulated around an amnesty project for those involved in the acts of January 8, arguing that the sentence is disproportionate.
and others involved in the protests, and parliamentarians such as Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) and Hélio Lopes (PL-RJ) have used the case to press for an amnesty.
The trial of Debora Rodrigues’ case was temporarily suspended after Minister Luiz Fux’s request for a view before her final decision. The trial is expected to be resumed on Friday, March 28, after the analysis of the elements of the process.
Read the letter of the letter:
