Exclusive: Admiral Othon speaks to 247 about his arrest and suicide attempt.
Former Lava Jato prisoner, Admiral Othon, recounts his time in jail, suicide attempt, and acquittal in an exclusive interview.
By Denise Assis, 247 - Next month, on the 25th, Admiral Othon Luiz Pinheiro da Silva will turn 86. Of those years, a year and a half were stolen from him in an unjust trial – which awaits dismissal – and which, due to the excessive force of the “Lava Jato” judge, Marcelo Bretas, initially sentenced him to 43 years in prison under a closed regime. Othon's imprisonment was mainly due to a geopolitical action by the United States, fearing the progress of the construction of the Brazilian nuclear submarine.
This judge served in the 7th Federal Criminal Court of Rio de Janeiro between 2015 and 2023 and was eventually forcibly removed from office by the National Council of Justice (CNJ).
The outcome of this imbroglio was the reduction of his sentence to three years of restrictive measures by the TRF-2 (Regional Federal Court of the 2nd Region), but heading towards its extinction due to a pure and absolute lack of evidence. His life was turned upside down. His daughter, Ana Cristina Toniolo, and partner in a consulting firm, ended up being arrested as a way to force him to confess to something he hadn't done (a very common practice among the lawyers involved in Lava Jato). She was acquitted by the TRF-2. The accusation was of receiving bribes in one of the phases of the construction of Angra 3, the amounts of which were never found after the lifting of bank secrecy.
After leaving prison, Admiral Othon, as everyone calls him, lost his lifelong wife, Maria Célia, whom he fell in love with as a teenager in Friburgo, where he went to study after leaving Sumidouro, his birthplace.
His father, a doctor, encouraged him to study, something that the brilliant Admiral Othon, also known as the "father of Brazil's nuclear program," says he only did to get a passing grade. However, he recounts that it was his aunt's boyfriend who encouraged him to join the Navy – where he had the opportunity to learn about and embrace Engineering. And what motivated him, he confesses, wasn't a very noble sentiment. He reveals, amused, that this distant relative warned him that the uniform would attract the attention of young women, who at the time adored uniforms. Othon made these revelations on "Denise Assis Invites," which airs this Sunday at noon.
His studies took him far. In his travels to take specialization courses, satisfying his curiosity about uranium enrichment – something he achieved on his own, "racking his brain," as he describes it – he interacted with Edward Teller, a theoretical physicist who was part of the "Manhattan Project." The team was responsible, under US coordination, for the creation of the H-bomb. Teller is also known as the "father of the atomic bomb," although the most famous figure in the project is the physicist Julius Oppenheimer, for being its coordinator.
While isolated in prison, he forgave his tormentors and dedicated his time to writing a book. He intends to publish it soon, as soon as his lawyer deems it appropriate and there is no risk of further trouble.
In the interview, it's noticeable that he had difficulty concentrating. Perhaps living alone in an apartment in Copacabana, he has lost the habit of dialogue, demonstrating a need to talk. Therefore, the audience will perceive that the format of the conversation with Admiral Othon was more like a testimony than an interview in the traditional sense.
We respected his pace, only insisting that he speak about the drama he experienced in the recent past. He spoke. With some difficulty in delving into what still pains his soul. But he didn't shy away from recounting how, in the isolation of his cell, he attempted suicide, driven by shame and disgust at the situation. "Thank goodness I didn't succeed. Today I can see that I was acquitted and live without resentment." Othon defines his current moment: "I live like the music of Paulinho da Viola. I act like the old sailor who, during the fog, moves the boat slowly." We also celebrate the failure of his attempt and, as his birthday approaches, we wish him a long life. The fog has lifted. Now we hope he sails in calm waters.
