PF sees Bolsonaro reinforce investigation into coup – 02/25/2024 – Power

Jair Bolsonaro’s (PL) speech during an event on Avenida Paulista this Sunday (25) provoked criticism from government supporters and reinforced the line of investigation that there was a plot to attempt a coup d’état, in the opinion of members of the Federal Police.

Speaking to the thousands of supporters who attended the demonstration, Bolsonaro defended himself against the accusation, but indicated that he knew of the existence of draft texts that sought to annul the election of President Lula (PT).

“What is a coup? It’s a tank in the street, it’s a weapon, a conspiracy. None of this was done in Brazil,” he said. “Now the coup is because there is a draft state defense decree. Coup using the Constitution? Be patient,” said the former president in front of his supporters.

For PF investigators, it is possible to deduce from the former president’s statements that he knew of the existence of the minutes and was aware of negotiations to try to prevent Lula’s inauguration. The act will be part of the context of the entire investigation into the plot.

Bolsonaro’s allies believe that the president did not admit to having anything to do with the drafting of drafts, he only said that any texts that existed were unenforceable. Last week, Bolsonaro remained silent in his statement to the PF.

For investigators, the former president not only participated in the preparation but even made changes to a draft to legitimize a coup d’état.

This Sunday, in addition to trying to defend himself against the PF’s accusations, Bolsonaro reduced the tone of his aggressiveness against the STF (Supreme Federal Court), said he sought the pacification of the country and asked for amnesty for those arrested for the coup attack on January 8, 2023.

STF ministers minimized the act and said, in private conversations, that there was no surprise with the content of the protest.

PT members criticized what they called Bolsonaro’s attempt to normalize the plot for a coup and rejected the hypothesis of granting amnesty to those convicted by the Supreme Court for participating in the attacks on the Three Powers on January 8, 2023.

The national president of the PT and federal deputy, Gleisi Hoffmann (PR), stated on social media that Bolsonaro “remains and will always be a threat to democracy”.

“What Bolsonaro did was outsource to [o pastor Silas] Malafaia the attacks he has always made on Justice, institutions and the truth”, wrote the deputy on X, formerly Twitter.

Gleisi also said that Bolsonaro should have presented his version of the coup attempt to the Federal Police. “He would be confronted with evidence of the conspiracy, which envisaged troops in the streets and the arrest of ministers and opponents,” she declared.

For the deputy, the former president targeted “his own impunity” when asking for amnesty for those convicted of the January 8 coup acts.

The government leader in the Chamber, José Guimarães (PT-CE), told Sheet that Bolsonaro tried to “naturalize” the attacks on the headquarters of the Three Powers to alleviate investigations into the alleged coup mobilization of the former government.

“There cannot be amnesty. We will not give amnesty to those who committed crimes against democracy,” said Guimarães.

The deputy also stated that the governors who participated in the event on Avenida Paulista were “accomplices in an attempted coup and re-edition of democracy.” In addition to the governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, Romeu Zema (Minas Gerais), Jorginho Mello (Santa Catarina) and Ronaldo Caiado (Goiás) participated in the event.

Former minister José Dirceu stated that Bolsonaro “collapsed” in this Sunday’s act. He further assessed that the former president will act on two fronts. “One mobilization to ask for amnesty. Another, the coup leader, who will not let go, given the changes in the Military Police of São Paulo, which could become a Bolsonarist militia,” said Dirceu.

“Time will tell which will prevail. On our part, no amnesty but the Constitution and the laws”, said the former minister.

Government leader in Congress, senator Randolfe Rodrigues (no party-AP), mocked the protest. He published photos of Lula and Bolsonaro on social media with the caption “elected” and “not elected”. “The image that knocks out any coup demonstration in 36 seconds,” said Randolfe.

Also on social media, the Minister of Agrarian Development and Family Farming, Paulo Teixeira (PT-SP), stated that “those who ask for amnesty already know that they will be condemned”.

The Federal Police investigation targeting Bolsonaro has as one of its bases messages and testimony from Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro’s former aide-de-camp at the Presidency of the Republic.

Other elements still in the investigation phase are the coup-based meeting in which, in July 2022, the then president suggested ways to attack the electoral system and, already after the election, his role in drafting a supposed draft decree in the which the coup d’état would be based on.

At this Sunday’s event, few of Bolsonaro’s allies spoke and those who spoke tried to adopt a mild tone. The one who disagreed was Pastor Silas Malafaia, organizer of the protest, who criticized the STF.

Allies saw his speech as excessive and sought to separate Bolsonaro’s image from that of the evangelical.