Moraes denies Bolsonaro’s new request to extend defense period

Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) denied on Thursday (27), in Brasilia, a new request for the defense of former President Jair Bolsonaro to have 83 days to submit a defense in the complaint about the coup plot.

The decision was motivated by the request made to the minister on Monday (24). The lawyers appealed the first decision of Moraes which also denied the increase in the legal deadline of 15 to 83 days.

The lawyers said they need full access to the evidence obtained by the Federal Police (PF) and want to speak only after the defense of Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid, former Assistant of Orders of Bolsonaro and whistleblower in the investigations.

For the defense, the period of 83 days is to compensate for the same period in which the process was in the Attorney General’s Office (PGR) for the preparation of the complaint.

Evidence

In the decision issued Thursday, Moraes reiterated that Bolsonaro’s defense had access to the evidence contained in the complaint.

“Thus, there is no doubt that the defense of Jair Messias Bolsonaro had full access to the case and the system, through the media provided by the Judicial Secretariat, being possible to analyze all elements collected on cell phone devices,” said the STF minister.

According to the Supreme Court, the deadline for the former president’s lawyers to deliver a defense ends on March 6. The 15 -day deadline began to count on February 19.