Bolsonaro says he won’t leave Brazil and challenges: “Attach me, put”
Former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) said on Friday (16) that, even in the face of the possibility of being convicted, he will not leave Brazil. In an interview with the radio AuriverdeBolsonaro said he received advice to leave the country, but ruled out this possibility. “Some say that I should leave Brazil. I will not leave Brazil, attach me, put. It is planned forty years in jail, attach me,” he said.
Bolsonaro is a defendant in the Supreme Federal Court (STF), accused of participating in a plan to overthrow the democratically elected government. Accusations against the former president include crimes of armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup, damage qualified by violence and serious threat against the union’s assets, as well as deterioration of overturned assets. If convicted, Bolsonaro may face a sentence of up to 39 years in prison.
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At 70, Bolsonaro stated that a conviction would be practically a death sentence. “I’m 70 years old already, I almost died in the last surgery, I’m going to die, it won’t be long. (…) I have forty years in the loin, I have no appeal to anywhere, I’m going to die in jail,” he said. He reinforced his position that the accusations are unfounded, classifying the alleged coup as an “impossible crime.” “What crime? Impossible crime, from Minnie and Donald Duck,” he said.
During the interview, the former president maintained his speech that he is the victim of political persecution. For Bolsonaro, what would be ongoing is an attempt to get him out of the “political radar.” “The system wants to get me out of the political radar because we are aware, we have humility to talk to people, seek information and say the right things,” he said.
His lawyers argue that the former president did not participate in any action to overthrow the government and that the accusations have no legal basis. The defense must focus its strategy in the thesis that Bolsonaro only exercised his right to freedom of expression in criticizing the electoral system and the government.
If convicted, he may appeal to the final judgment of the case, when there will be no more possibility of appeals.
