Bolsonaro's trial for coup plot will receive extensive international press coverage.
In total, 66 foreign journalists were accredited to cover the Supreme Court's trial regarding the coup plot.
247 - The Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) is preparing to judge Jair Bolsonaro (PL) and his allies for alleged participation in a coup plot, with particular attention from the national and international press. According to the G1A total of 501 communication professionals were accredited to attend the sessions in person, including 66 foreign journalists. The First Chamber of the Court has reserved five dates to analyze the case, which will take place on September 2, 3, 9, 10, and 12.
In an unprecedented move, the Brazilian Supreme Court (STF) also opened registration for citizens interested in attending the deliberations in person. 3.357 applications were received, but due to the limited number of seats, only the first 1.200 registrants will have access, on a rotating basis between the morning and afternoon shifts. This audience will watch the sessions via a large screen installed in the Second Chamber's room, located one floor above the plenary hall where the trial will take place. A similar experience had already occurred during the Mensalão trial, when entry to the plenary hall was guaranteed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The defendants in the case include Jair Bolsonaro and seven other accused individuals who are part of the so-called "core 1" of the alleged coup plot, considered by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) to be the central group of the criminal organization. Among those involved are former ministers Anderson Torres (Justice), Augusto Heleno (Institutional Security Office), Braga Netto (Chief of Staff), and Paulo Sérgio Nogueira (Defense), as well as former Navy commander Almir Garnier, former ABIN director Alexandre Ramagem, and former aide-de-camp Mauro Cid.
According to the Attorney General's Office (PGR) indictment, Jair Bolsonaro is identified as the "main orchestrator, greatest beneficiary, and author" of actions aimed at disrupting the democratic order after his defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022. The list of crimes attributed to the former president includes armed criminal organization, violent abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, coup d'état, aggravated damage to federal property, and deterioration of listed heritage sites. If convicted, the penalties could reach up to 43 years in prison.
The trial will be conducted by the First Panel of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), composed of Justices Cristiano Zanin (president of the panel), Cármen Lúcia, Luiz Fux, Alexandre de Moraes, and Flávio Dino. If the defendants are acquitted, the case will be dismissed. In case of conviction, the justices will determine the individual sentence for each defendant, as well as establish the civil and administrative consequences. Among the possible consequences are compensation for collective damages and the loss of public office or elected mandates when the sentence exceeds four years in prison.
