Supreme Court: Trial against Bolsonaro set for March 25

Justice Cristiano Zanin of the Federal Supreme Court has set the trial of the Attorney General’s Office complaint for March 25, targeting former President Jair Bolsonaro, General Braga Netto, and six others under investigation for the coup plot.

The date was set by the justice in his role as president of the Court’s First Panel, the body responsible for the trial.

Justice Cristiano Zanin of the Federal Supreme Court – Lula Marques/ Agência Brasil

Justice Alexandre de Moraes, the case’s rapporteur, authorized the indictment for trial after the Attorney General’s Office endorsed charging the former president and other defendants in the coup plot aimed at preventing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s third term.

The justices of the First Panel will determine whether the defendants will be charged with coup d’état, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, armed criminal organization, violent damage to federal property, serious threat, and destruction of protected property.

The trial will address the indictment of Core 1 in the coup plot investigation.

See below for the list of those indicted under Core 1:

Jair Bolsonaro – Brazil’s former president;

Walter Braga Netto (Army general, former minister and Bolsonaro’s vice-presidential running mate for the 2022 elections;

General Augusto Heleno (former Minister of the Institutional Security Cabinet);

Alexandre Ramagem (former director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency—Abin);

Anderson Torres (former Minister of Justice and former Secretary of Security for the Federal District);

Almir Garnier (former commander of the Navy);

Paulo Sérgio Nogueira (Army general and former Minister of Defense);

Mauro Cid (whistleblower and former aide to Bolsonaro).

In addition to the session scheduled for the morning of March 25, the First Panel has also reserved the afternoon of the same day and the morning of March 26 for the analysis of the case.

First Panel

The case will be heard by the Supreme Court’s First Panel, which consists of the rapporteur of the complaint, Alexandre de Moraes, along with Justices Flávio Dino, Cristiano Zanin, Cármen Lúcia, and Luiz Fux.

Under the Court’s rules of procedure, criminal cases are to be adjudicated by its two panels. Since the rapporteur is a member of the First Panel, the indictment will be heard by this collegiate body.

If a majority of the justices accept the complaint, Bolsonaro and the other individuals named will become formal defendants and will face criminal charges before the Supreme Court.