Former Army Commander, General Marco Antonio Freire Gomes publicly gave publicly his version of the coup plot that unfolded in the government of ().
In just over two hours, in a statement to the (Supreme Court) on Monday (19), the general minimized the content of one of the versions of the coup draft presented, confronted versions that were presented over the last few months and scolded the minister, who suggested that the military was lying.
He also confirmed decisive episodes of the articulation of the plot.
The investigation of and the complaint of the (Attorney General’s Office) presented in recent months Freire Gomes as an essential character for scammer plans not going ahead. In the testimony of this Monday, he gave a milder version than that interpreted by the investigators.
The general told the Supreme that he was summoned by Bolsonaro to attend a meeting at the Alvorada Palace on December 7, 2022. It was at this meeting that the former president presented to the military chiefs for the first time the draft of coup decree.
According to Freire Gomes, the text presented a series of considers as legal grounds for the coup and suggested the use of measures such as GLO (Guarantee of Law and Order), State of Defense or State of Siege after the electoral result.
Freire Gomes said this first version of the document did not cause astonishment in military chiefs. “He presented these considerations, all of them based on legal aspects, within the Constitution. It did not cause us kind. As it was still going to be studied and deepened, we awaited another manifestation of the President,” he said.
The general said he met with Bolsonaro on other occasions at the end of 2022. In one of these meetings the subject was resumed. Freire Gomes said it was at this time that he expressed contrary to a possible democratic rupture.
“From what I remember, he just commented on the study. Brigadier Baptista Júnior [ex-chefe da Aeronáutica] He said he would not do anything and I informed the president quite cordially that the measures he wanted to take should consider various aspects: international and national support, congress, the legal part. “
Freire Gomes denied that he gave Bolsonaro prison. The General’s version contradicts the testimony of Brigadier Baptista Júnior, who told the Federal Police that the army chief would have told him that he would be forced to arrest the former president if he advanced with the scammers.
The general says he only indicated Bolsonaro that he could be “legally framed” if he adopted an illegal measure. And that the army “would not act in something that would go beyond our constitutional competence”.
Freire Gomes also stated that he could not interpret what the former chief of navy Admiral Almir Garnier-in the coup process-meant by announcing Bolsonaro that he would support as he would take.
“Admiral Garnier took his posture, I think he was also surprised [com a minuta]and manifested. I didn’t interpret it as any kind of collusion, “said the general.
Alexandre de Moraes interrupted the testimony at this time and accused the general of lying in court. “The witness cannot omit what he knows. I will give the witness a chance to tell the truth. He lied to the Federal Police, has to say he lied to the police,” he said.
The general replied that “after 50 years of army would never lie.” “Admiral Garnier took the posture of being with the president. I can’t infer what he meant ‘being with the president’. I know exactly what I said and say: he said he was with the president, and the intention of what he meant with it doesn’t fit me [interpretar].”
General Freire Gomes’s testimony was one of the most anticipated among the more than 80 witnesses indicated to testify in the coup plot process. It would be the first time the former army chief would perform publicly to tell what he experienced at the end of 2022.
The hearing, by video conferencing, brought together Ministers Moraes, Cármen Lúcia, Luiz Fux and Cristiano Zanin and Attorney General Paulo Gonet-unusual presences in such sessions. The testimonials were still accompanied by Bolsonaro and former Minister Braga Netto.
The most mild version presented by the general about conversations with Bolsonaro and his reaction to scammer approaches was used by defendants’ defenses-the former president’s special-to raise questions about the complaint.
The audience of this Monday marked the beginning of the testimonial phase of the coup plot. The Supreme will dedicate two weeks to hear the more than 80 witnesses nominated by the accusation and defenses of the central core of the coup plot.
In addition to former President Jair Bolsonaro, the group has as defendants (Federal Deputy and former Chief of Abin) (former Navy Commander) (former Justice Minister) (former GSI minister) (former Bolsonaro orders) (former Defense Minister) and (former Minister of Civil House and Defense).
They are accused of crimes of armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup, damage qualified by violence and serious threat against public assets and deterioration of listed heritage. Added, maximum penalties may exceed 40 years in prison.
The Supreme Court has defined that accredited journalists and lawyers of the parties can follow the testimonials in the plenary of the First Class of the Supreme Court. The hearings, by video conferencing, will be transmitted on the boards of the collegiate.
The press, however, is prevented from making audio and video recordings of the sessions. The Supreme says that the prohibition is based on article 210 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which says that witnesses will be inquired each at a time “so that one do not know or hear the testimonies of the others.”
The first day of testimonials had four witnesses: Marcos Antônio Freire Gomes (former Army Commander), Clebson Ferreira de Paula Vieira (former member of the Ministry of Justice), Adiel Pereira Alcântara (former PRF coordinator) and Éder Lindsay Magalhães Balbino (company owner hired by the PL to oversee the electoral process).
Former Air Force Commander Brigadeiro Carlos de Almeida Baptista Júnior had the statement postponed to Wednesday (21). He is traveling outside the country.
Crisis and Inflations
In the presidency, it caused crises between the powers, and stimulated with lies and yields a campaign to discredit the country’s electoral system.
After the defeat to Lula, he encouraged the creation and maintenance of the scammers who spread across the country and gave rise to the attacks of January 8.
In this same period, he adopted conduct that he contributed to keeping his hopeless supporters that he would remain in power, and he met with nearby military and advisers to discuss ways to intervene in the TSE and nullify the elections.
Saudisist of (1964-1985) and his and of torture, the former president has already been convicted by the TSE for attacks and lies about the electoral system and is. Today is ineligible at least until 2030.
If convicted of crimes of armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup d’état, damage qualified by violence and serious threat against public assets and deterioration of listed heritage, a.
