The testimony of more than two hours provided by General Marco Antonio Freire Gomes to the Supreme Court (STF) was marked by the warning of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, who pointed out contradictions of the former Army commander in relation to his previous statement to the Federal Police.
In the testimony, given on Monday (19), the general also minimized the content of the so-called coup draft, classified by him as a “study”.
Freire Gomes is considered a key witness in the action that accuses Jair Bolsonaro (PL) of coup attempt. The former president, one of the defendants in the case.
Understand in four main points the testimony of General Freire Gomes.
1 – “Army would not violate the Constitution”
During the interrogation, the Attorney General, Paulo Gonet, mentioned documents that were allegedly presented by former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL).
These documents refer to State of Site Decrees and would activate the Guarantee of Law and Order (GLO), the latter would allow the Armed Forces to act as police forces in times of institutional imbalance.
However, the general said that the documents presented by the former chief executive were based on “legal aspects based on the Constitution.”
“The main aspect is that precisely what would compete in the army, we did not glimpse how we could participate in it,” said Freire Gomes.
“What was warned of the president is that he should pay attention to these aspects and he agreed that there was nothing to do,” he added to the military.
I put with a lot of education that the measures he eventually wanted to take would have to pay attention to various issues with the support nationally and internationally, from Congress as well and if he did not have these supports and did not conduct the processes within the legal aspects, he would have serious problems. I warned that if he came out of legal aspects not only would not count on our support but he could respond legally. He agreed and the subject was there
General Marco Antônio Freire Gomes in a statement to the Supreme Federal Court (STF)
2 – “Studies”: the draft coup and prison voice
Another point commented by Freire Gomes was the supposed draft of coup. The military stated that, not a document, based on “legal aspects and based on the Constitution” – and, for this reason, would not have amazed the high level of the three forces.
According to him, the “study” would have been presented for an appointment with the commanders, for presenting details about the establishment of measures such as state of siege in the country and GLO.
“Perhaps he presented us as a matter of consideration for some excerpts of the document concerns the state of defense, Glo. He was aware that he would begin these studies,” the military said during a statement.
Although the information was “based on the Constitution,” as he said, the general said the army would not participate in anything that would go beyond “constitutional competence”, and even warned the executive’s former boss on the matter.
“Throughout the whole process, this study was being perfected”said Freire.
In addition, during a hearing at the Supreme Court, the former army commander, when he mentioned the possibility of giving a coup d’état to stay in power after being defeated at the polls by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT).
“Some vehicles reported that I would have given a prison voice to the former president, but that didn’t happen,” said Freire Gomes.
The moment would have been witnessed at a meeting at the Alvorada Palace by the former Brazilian Air Force Commander Carlos Baptista Júnior, and reported to the Federal Police (PF).
3 – Military hear criticism of the electoral system
Marco Antonio Freire Gomes also commented on a ministerial meeting in which the commanders of the three forces – army, marine and aeronautics were – and then -president Bolsonaro.
He classified the meeting as “imminently political.” According to him, criticism was made to the electoral system, but the commanders remained silent, just listening.
In response to Gonet, Freire Gomes stressed that no electoral fraud was identified.
“The premise that was passed on to us in relation to this commission was to investigate vulnerabilities as a whole. Not necessarily fraud.”
At Bolsonaro’s request, the three commanders were also summoned on September 7, 2022 to another meeting, this time at the Dawn Palace.
In it, the alleged draft of coup was presented by the then-appropriate advisor of the Chief Executive, Felipe Martins.
The military, in theory, did not know what the meeting was about. “The president had only informed us that he would be studying the subject legally and did not ask us for an opinion,” he continued.
“We had several meetings, obviously each expressed their opinion when asked by the president. I was focused on my loyalty of being frank to the president. Brigadier Junior was contrary to anything at that time. As I was very emphatic, the defense minister, who reminds me, was silent. And Garnier did not interpret as any collusion.”
After commenting on Garnier’s position, Freire Gomes was warned by Moraes.
The witness cannot omit what you know, I will give the witness a chance to tell the truth. He lied into the police, admits here. You can’t come here and say you don’t remember, it’s focused only on your position. The Lord is the commander of the army, is prepared to deal with pressure. Think well before answering, because in PF you said that Junior and Garnier expressly expressed support
Alexandre de Moraes, Minister of the Supreme Court (STF)
4 – Attempted rupture, military letter and pressure
General Freire Gomes also states that he was pressured to join the alleged coup plot, as well as suffering attacks.
“Yes, sir, I started to suffer attacks and by the way I still suffer,” Freire Gomes told the Attorney General, Paulo Gonet.
“I was attacked, offended, my attacked family, was very affected by it. My son, they say he is an informant of Alexandre de Moraes. I preferred not even to look.”
According to the Federal Police report, Freire Gomes was “determining” so that an attempted institutional rupture was not supported by the Armed Forces.
Also according to the PF, besides Freire Gomes, the Air Force Commander, Baptista Júnior, spoke contrary to the plan. Admiral Almir Garnier, then commander of the Navy, would have adhered.
With their negative, Bolsonaro would then have sought the support of General Estevam Theóphilo, ahead of the Army Land Operations Command (Coter).
To the Supreme Court on Monday, Gonet wondered if General Theóphilo’s summons would have left him “uncomfortable.”
“It was worried that the pressures could exacerbate the president’s mood of the president who could take him to something out of what he had agreed.”he answered.
The letter dealt with in the statement, which Freire Gomes stated, was produced by military personnel in order to press the commander to lead the army to join an alleged coup.
He classified the document as “unacceptable” and “inconceivable” within the military hierarchy, noting that political manifestations by active military violate the principles of the Armed Forces.
In November last year, the army even indicted three military personnel involved in the authorship of the document: Colonel Anderson Lima de Moura, from Active, and colonels Carlos Giovani Delevati Pasini and José Otávio Machado Rezo, both from the reserve.
