Former Army Major Ailton Moraes Barros denied, on the morning of Thursday (24), the accusation of the Attorney General’s Office that he would have articulated with General Walter Braga Netto-former Minister of the Bolsonaro Civil House and defense since December-actions to pressure then-army commander, General Freire Gomes, to adhere to the coup plan to keep the former president even after power the defeat in the 2022 elections.
In a statement to the Federal Supreme Court, Ailton said the general’s messages for him were “whimper of those who lost.” He denied that he made “attacks on the military” who would not have adhered to the plan.
According to PGR’s complaint, Braga Netto advised Ailton Barros to attack Lieutenant Baptist Junior Baptist, then Air Force Commander, who denied support for the coup plot, and praising the Squadron Admiral Almir Garnier Santos-Commander of the Navy-who allegedly would have endorsed the plan.
“Sit the stick in the junior Baptista. People suffering, arbitrariness being made and he closed in the stewardship. Negotiating favors. Treator of the homeland. From then on. Holder his life and family (…) praises Garnier and fucks BJ”, would have said Braga Netto, according to messages intercepted by the Federal Police in the case of the coup plot investigation.
At the hearing of this Thursday, chaired by Assistant Judge Luciana Sorrentino of the Court of Justice of the Federal District and Territories (TJDFT), who acts in the office of Minister Alexandre de Moraes -rapporteur of actions of January 8 -Ailton Barros said that “that was there was lamuria and whimper of campaign loser”.
“I was understanding here as an outburst and had no conduct. I didn’t attack any general. I don’t answer these messages.”
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In mentioning the name of the former Major, expelled from the Army in 2008, the complaint highlights his and Braga Netto’s exchange of messages, in which he demonstrates that he requested the military “black kids”, from the excerpt special forces, to “save democracy”-an alleged incitement to the coup.
The complaint points out that, in response, Braga Netto said: “My friend, unfortunately I have to say that the blame for what is happening and will happen is from Gen. Freire Gomes. Omission and indecision do not fit a combatant.”
Ailton Gonçalves Moraes Barros would have promised to keep the pressure on Freire Gomes, threatening: “(…) offer his head to the lions” if the army commander kept his position. Braga Netto agreed and issued the ultimate order: “offers his head. Cagão.”
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In his version, Ailton narrated that he initially wanted to send the messages to Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid-former Bolsonaro orders and defendant whistleblower in the coup action-and, by mistake, eventually sent Braga Netto.
According to him, there was no strong bond between them. According to former Major, Braga Netto would have begun to vent, and he realized that, in the end of the statements, he could try to form a political bond with the general, since this was the candidate for Bolsonaro vice president in 2022.
Throughout the complaint, the PGR states that the combination of Ailton Barros and Braga Netto was not limited to attacks on Bolsonaro’s army and aeronautics commanders. A target would be General Tomás Paiva -now the army commander, then at the Southeast Military Command -who, in addition to denying a coup plan, would have scolded General Villas Bôas and his wife, Maria Aparecida, “because of his mobilization in favor of the coup movement.”
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Almir Garnier’s defense claims that PGR did not indicate how he would have contributed to the dissemination of fake news.
“To say that he was responsible for disclosing false news without presenting the means where this would have occurred effectively, even after so many acts of investigation, only reinforces that the accused had no participation in the event,” said public defender Érica de Oliveira Hartmann.
