Cornered, Bolsonaro appeals to the full Supreme Court to rule on Moraes's impartiality in investigations into the coup plot.
Lawyers for the former president question the impartiality of the minister who, according to them, presents himself as both "victim" and "judge."
247 - Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) defense filed an appeal this Tuesday (27) against the decision of the president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Luís Roberto Barroso, who refused a request to remove Minister Alexandre de Moraes from the reporting of inquiries related to anti-democratic acts. The defense wants the case to be taken to the full Court.
"According to the lawyers, Moraes is positioning himself as both a victim and a judge when reporting on the investigations related to Operation Tempus Veritatis, launched by the Federal Police (PF) this month," the journalist points out. Monica Bergamo in his column in Folha de S. Paulo. >>> Moraes explains the basics: "If they had staged the coup, they wouldn't be on trial."
Messages obtained by investigators indicate Bolsonaro's alleged involvement in drafting a decree for a coup d'état that included the arrest of Moraes and the annulment of the 2022 presidential election. The minister was also allegedly illegally monitored by part of the group involved in the coup plot. >>> Brazilian Federal Police will use Bolsonaro's statements from Paulista Avenue in the investigation that should lead to his imprisonment.
Last week, Barroso rejected 192 requests seeking the recusal or disqualification of Minister Moraes from presiding over the criminal cases related to the anti-democratic acts of January 8, 2023. The president of the Supreme Court argued that there was no clear and objective demonstration of Moraes' direct interest in the case, criticizing the lack of legal basis in the allegations. >>> Supreme Court justices assess the impact of the pro-Bolsonaro rally on investigations that could lead to his imprisonment: "nil"
Bolsonaro's defense team is now seeking to bring the case to the full Supreme Court, arguing that the reporting judge's view of Bolsonaro as a direct victim of the investigated acts represents a risk of bias in the process.
"The renowned legal expertise of the esteemed Minister Alexandre de Moraes, being an academically qualified and experienced jurist, cannot be ignored, nor could it be ignored; however, it is inescapable that, like any human being, he may be influenced internally, compromising the impartiality necessary to perform his duties," highlights a passage from the appeal, according to the report.