“Heinous” and “thought crime”: government supporters and opponents disagree about coup

The Federal Police (PF) report that accuses the former president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) of leading a coup d’état plan sparked debate among congressmen on Tuesday (26).

With the secrecy of the document removed by Minister Alexandre Moraes, of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), deputies from the government and opposition bases took a stance on the coup plot in the Chamber plenary.

Among the president’s allies Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT)the deputy Bohn Gass (PT-RS) stated that the case is the “most heinous episode in the recent history of Brazil”, highlighting that the use of public resources to finance the action is especially serious.

“The Federal Police report has appalling details, which reveal the plan made coldly, so detailed that it included ambushes and even the weapons that would be used to kill – something from the Red Command, something from the PCC, something from the militia”, he said.

For the deputy Gleisi Hoffman (PR)national president of the PT, the former president was fully aware of the scheme. “It has a pig’s snout, a pig’s ears, a pig’s tail and it’s not a pig? Of course it is. Bolsonaro knew, he was the great mentor of this whole plan.”

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The deputy Maria do Rosário (PT-RS) also repudiated the case, highlighting that it was a “cunning, violent, unconstitutional, criminal plot”. The parliamentarian also criticized any possibility of amnesty for those involved, mentioning Bill 2858/22, which addresses the topic.

The deputy Pastor Henrique Vieira (PSOL-RJ)deputy leader of the government, reinforced the seriousness of the PF’s findings and criticized the amnesty proposal, stating that the text “makes no sense at all”. For him, the coup attempt was a direct attack not only on democracy, but also on the Brazilian Parliament.

The deputy Chico Alencar (PSOL-RJ) highlighted the robustness of the evidence – the PF report totals more than 800 pages. “Today is a historic day, because it is the first plenary session after these investigations into coup d’état negotiations, including military officers, generals, colonels, 37 indicted, including former president Bolsonaro.”

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Opposition

In opposition, parliamentarians minimized the content of the report. The deputy Captain Alberto Neto (PL-AM) stated that the document is nothing more than a “smokescreen” to divert attention from unpopular government measures.

He mocked the PF’s conclusions: “To believe that a coup did not happen because a Special Forces officer was unable to catch a taxi, to think that a priest deserves to be indicted because he is conspiring against the Republic? Have holy patience.”

The deputy Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ) described the report as a “fake coup attempt”. In a tone of sarcasm, he stated: “Bolsonaro was plotting a coup and then suffering a coup from the coup plotters. Or I could talk about the attempted coup that didn’t work because there wasn’t a taxi.”

The deputy Luiz Lima (PL-RJ)in turn, said that the document does not present material foundations and suggested that it is a “thought crime”. “I make a challenge: if the STF, the PF and the federal government are going to condemn any Brazilian who wished Lula or Bolsonaro harm, half of the Brazilian population would have to be in prison.”

The deputy David Soares (União Brasil-SP) criticized Alexandre de Moraes’ performance in the investigation: “A minister who is the accuser, who is accused, who is the victim, who is the judge, what does that look like?”.

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Military personnel created an escape plan for Bolsonaro if the coup failed, says PF

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Indictments

Bolsonaro and 36 other people were indicted for the crimes of violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup d’état and criminal organization. The revelations include detailed plans, from weaponry to ambushes. The former president denies a coup plot.

The investigation showed that former president Jair Bolsonaro, according to the PF, “planned, acted and had direct and effective control over the executional acts carried out by the criminal organization that aimed to carry out a coup d’état and the abolition of the Democratic State of Law, a fact that was not consummated due to circumstances beyond his control”.

The case is now with the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), which may or may not offer a complaint or even request new steps.