The Federal Supreme Court resumed the trial of former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and seven other defendants accused of trying to articulate a coup after the 2022 elections.
Among them is General Walter Braga Netto, former Minister of Defense and the Civil House, whose defense sought to dismiss the accusations of direct involvement in the conspiracy.
Early on his support, lawyer José Luís de Oliveira Lima was categorical: “Walter Souza Braga Netto is innocent. Walter Souza Braga Netto is innocent. And who says that? It’s not this lawyer, it’s the case.”
Criticism of the speed of the process
The defender argued that the trial has been processed at a rapid pace and that this compromised the right of defense. Braga Netto has been arrested since December 2024 by order of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, rapporteur of the case.
“Of course, the arrested defendant process has to be faster, but this speed cannot harm the right of defense,” he said.
He compared the case with the processing in other instances. “A procedure that is being processed in the Special Court lasts nine months. This procedure, from the date of receipt of the complaint so far, we are talking about six months. Would it not be reasonable that the defenses had a little more time to analyze?” He asked.
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Criticism of Mauro Cid’s denunciation
Oliveira Lima also attacked the credibility of Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid’s award-winning denunciation, former Bolsonaro orders. According to him, the agreement has “vices” and should be annulled. “I am an advocate of the award -winning denunciation agreement. But he has to be coherent, he has to have evidence,” he said.
The lawyer also cited Cid’s own statements in interviews, in which he would have suggested that he was pressured during the negotiation with the Federal Police. “Voluntarity is the fundamental requirement for the conclusion of an award -winning denunciation agreement. In these records, what existed was the voluntarity,” he said.
Defense curtailment
Another point of contestation was the hearing of caressing between Braga Netto and Mauro Cid. According to the defense, the act could not be recorded, which would have impaired legal strategy.
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“The license was the last act of the procedural instruction, so it could not affect other acts,” he said.
Risk of perpetual imprisonment of fact
Oliveira Lima highlighted the general’s trajectory and said that a possible conviction would be disproportionate.
“I am defending a 40 -year -old man of services to this country, to the Brazilian Army, a man without any macula. If the complaint is accepted as proposed by the prosecutor, this man who is 69 will probably spend the rest of his life in jail.”
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Braga Netto is appointed by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) as one of the main articulators of the scammer’s strategic nucleus, alongside Bolsonaro and other high-patent military.
The Judgment in Progress
The first class of the Supreme Court, chaired by Minister Cristiano Zanin, opened on Tuesday (2) the analysis of the complaint against the so-called “crucial core” of the alleged coup plot, appointed by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) as responsible for articulating measures to prevent the possession of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) after the election of 2022.
The rapporteur of the case, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, presented a report of almost two hours, summarizing the investigations conducted by the Federal Police and the final allegations of the process. The trial will have extraordinary sessions until September 12.
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Who are the defendants
In addition to Bolsonaro, they respond in the action:
• Alexandre Ramagemfederal deputy and former director general of ABIN;
• Almir Garnierformer commander of the Navy;
• Anderson Torresformer Minister of Justice and former Secretary of Public Security of the DF;
• Augusto Helenoformer GSI minister;
• Mauro CidLieutenant Colonel and former Assistant of Bolsonaro Orders;
• Paulo Sérgio Nogueiraformer defense minister;
• Walter Braga Nettoformer Minister of Defense and Civil House, candidate for vice president in 2022.
The eight defendants are accused of armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, attempted coup, damage qualified by violence and serious threat and deterioration of listed heritage. In the case of branch, part of the accusations was suspended by decision of the House of Representatives.
