In an editorial published on Sunday (27), The Wall Street Journal defends the release of Filipe Martins, former advisor to former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) who is under house arrest in Ponta Grossa (PR).
The text cites errors in records of the Customs and Border Protection Department (CBP) of the United States in Orlando, Florida, citing the case of Martins.
“A Brazilian court has been using fake CBP records to stop Mr. Martins as a risk of escape since March 2024 in the investigation of a supposed Bolsonaro coup against Brazilian President Luiz Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva,” says the American newspaper.
“Mr. Martins should be free while preparing his defense.”
Former Bolsonaro international affairs advisor, Martins is appointed by the Supreme Court (Supreme Court) as one of the members of the former president who traveled to the US after the 2022 presidential election defeat.
Filipe Martins has always denied having embarked on the entourage of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) who boarded the US on December 30, 2022.
Martins’ defense had already raised the possibility of fraud in the records that the Federal Police claim to refer to his entrance in the United States.
Earlier this month, ambassador André Chermont, former chief of the presidency ceremonial, said, in a statement to the Supreme Court (STF), that Martins would not have embarked on the presidential plane.
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“Core 2” of the coup plot
Martins and other accused are part of the so-called “core 2” of the complaint of the PGR (Attorney General of the Republic), for participation in the alleged coup plot of 2022.
The former advisor is accused of integrating the legal nucleus of the operation, including assisting the creation of minutes to institute state of siege and the application of GLO (guarantee of the law and order).
He denies the accusations.
He was arrested in February 2024 during Operation Tempus Veritatis and was detained for six months in Paraná for allegedly left Brazil. Then he began to serve house arrest.
The WSJ text also cites the political factors that US President Donald Trump used to impose 50% rates on Brazilian imports.
“Trump may be better at home with a transparent investigation into how fake Martins records were published on a CBP website, then disappeared and reappeared. This would have the additional benefit of innocent Martins from the accusation of illegally fleeing from his country.”
