Moraes reprimanded Cid during plea bargain hearing: 'last chance to tell the truth' (video)

247 - Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes confronted Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid during a hearing in November to assess the validity of his plea bargain agreement. According to Moraes, that was the "last moment" for the military officer to present truthful and complete information. Videos of Cid's testimony were made available this Thursday (15), revealing the minister's firm tone in conducting the interrogation.

"I want facts, that's why I scheduled this hearing. I would say it's the collaborator's last chance to tell the truth about everything," Moraes declared, according to the newspaper report. The Globe.

The session took place after the Federal Police (PF) identified omissions in the plea bargain agreement signed by Jair Bolsonaro's (PL) former aide-de-camp, which could lead to his termination. Moraes emphasized that collaboration cannot be selective and that the military officer should reveal everything he knows about the facts under investigation.

Moraes: 'Plea bargaining cannot be selective' - During the hearing, the minister warned that plea bargaining cannot be used to protect allies or harm adversaries. "Plea bargaining cannot be selective and targeted. It cannot be used to protect some and harm others. Here, the collaborator provides the facts. It is the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Attorney General's Office, that analyzes who will be prosecuted or not," he stated.

The minister also emphasized that collaboration is not limited to answering questions, but rather to providing information spontaneously. "In collaboration, there is no such idea that I only answer what I am asked," said Moraes.

Consequences for Cid's family - Early in the session, the minister warned Cid about the risks of omissions or contradictions in his testimony. If he failed to provide all the information, he could face sanctions such as the termination of the agreement and even imprisonment, which would also affect his family. "The eventual termination would include the continuation of the investigations and the accountability of the investigated party's father, his wife, and his adult daughter," Moraes emphasized.

Faced with the warning, the minister questioned whether Cid was "fully aware of the consequences of maintaining these omissions and contradictions." The military officer replied: "Yes, sir."

Federal Police pointed out contradictions in the plea bargain testimony. The hearing was convened after the Federal Police reported that the military officer had withheld crucial information for the investigation. "A comparison of the identified evidence reveals that the collaborator omitted information relevant to clarifying the facts under investigation, in an attempt to minimize the seriousness of the facts," the Federal Police stated in the report.

At the time, the Attorney General's Office (PGR) even requested Cid's arrest, but backed down after the hearing conducted by Moraes.

Complaint against Bolsonaro and his allies. The minutes of the hearing were released after Alexandre de Moraes lifted the seal on Cid's plea bargain. The decision came amid the Attorney General's Office's indictment against former President Jair Bolsonaro, former Minister Braga Netto, and 32 others. They are accused of participating in a coup plot to keep Bolsonaro in power after his defeat to President Lula (Workers' Party) in the 2022 elections.

The complaint, signed by the Attorney General of the Republic, Paulo Gonet, will be analyzed by the First Chamber of the STF, after approval by the rapporteur, Moraes.

According to the indictment, Bolsonaro committed the crimes of armed criminal organization, coup d'état, attempted abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, damage qualified by violence and serious threat against federal property and deterioration of listed heritage.