A First Panel of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) resumes, on the morning of this Tuesday (18), the trial of nucleus 3, of the “black kids” — members of the Army’s elite troops, in the process over the attempt to coup d’étatwith the vote of the rapporteur minister, Alexandre de Moraes.
The plenary session is scheduled to be opened at 9 am by the minister president of the collegiate, Flavio Dino. After the opening, the floor will be given to the rapporteur, who must cast his vote in favor of the conviction or acquittal of the defendants.
The expectation is that the minister will vote to convict the nine defendants for crimes involving the coup plot and judge one of the defendants, Ronald Ferreira de Araújo, solely for incitement to crime.
The collegiate has adopted the methodology of each minister analyzing, at the same time, the preliminary questions — presented by the defenses — and the merits of the accusation and defense.
After Moraes’ vote, the other ministers begin to vote in the following order: Cristiano Zanin, Carmen Lucia e Flavio Dino.
If the collegiate concludes the votes for conviction, the ministers will determine the penalties, a phase of the so-called dosimetry. In other words, the prison time of each person and the regime.
Last week, the First Panel concluded the stage of the PGR’s oral arguments and the defendants’ defenses. This is the third nucleus related to the coup plot to be judged by the STF this year.
Nine of the ten defendants are accused of:
- Armed criminal organization;
- Coup d’état;
- Attempt to abolish the Democratic Rule of Law;
- Qualified damage to Union assets and;
- Deterioration of public assets.
Who are the core 3 defendants?
- The Net Courard Burdder: Army Colonel. According to the PGR, he pressured the Army commander to support the coup; organized meetings of Special Forces soldiers and encouraged the publication of a letter addressed to the Army Commander, with the aim of influencing the High Summit to accept the decree of democratic rupture.
- Estevam Theophilo: Reserve general. According to the PGR, it encouraged Bolsonaro to sign the coup decree and committed to coordinating military action to consummate the rupture, if the act was formalized. He also acted to pressure the then Army commander, seen as a possible obstacle to the coup.
- Fabrício Moreira de Bastos: Army Colonel. He would have participated in meetings of black kids and helped to formulate strategic guidelines for carrying out the coup. He produced the document “Ideias Força”, which proposed actions to accelerate internal adherence in the Army and disseminate disinformation and mobilization operations.
- Hélio Ferreira Lima: Army lieutenant colonel. He would have been the author of “Operação Luneta”, a document that detailed phases of the coup: arrest of STF ministers, crisis cabinet, control of institutions and disinformation campaign. He also participated in monitoring Minister Alexandre de Moraes.
- Márcio Nunes de Resende Júnior: Army Colonel. He gave up his building to the “black kids” meeting and joined the group to influence superiors. The PGR highlights that it joined the coup plan even though it knew there was no electoral fraud.
- Rafael Martins de Oliveira: Army lieutenant colonel. He would have co-created the “Copa 2022” operation, which intended to kidnap and kill Alexandre de Moraes. I managed financial resources to carry out the coup plans. Part of this money would have been passed on to Mauro Cid by the then vice-presidential candidate Walter Braga Netto.
- Rodrigo Bezerra de Azevedo: Army lieutenant colonel. According to the PGR, he also worked in the “Copa 2022” operation and directly participated in the monitoring of Alexandre de Moraes. He used anonymization techniques and clandestine devices to hide the operation.
- Ronald Ferreira de Araújo Júnior: Lieutenant colonel. He would have signed and published a letter of pressure to the then Army commander. In this case, the PGR reconsidered its understanding of the complaint and requested Ronald’s conviction only for inciting animosity between the Armed Forces and institutions in the final arguments.
- Sérgio Ricardo Cavaliere de Medeiros: Lieutenant colonel. According to the PGR, it acted in the public and digital dissemination of the pressure letter and sought to weaken military authorities who resisted the coup, despite knowing that allegations of fraud were false.
- Wladimir Matos Soares: Federal Police Agent. It would have provided strategic information on the security of the presidential inauguration to the Bolsonarist group and would have assisted in the stage of assassinating authorities to create social chaos and justify exceptional measures.
