Brazil’s Bolsonaro takes the stand before the Supreme Court over alleged coup plot

Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro appeared before the Supreme Court for the first time Tuesday and denied participation in an alleged plot to remain in power and overturn the 2022 election result as he faces charges that could bring decades behind bars.

The court streamed the trial online for a country that was shaken by the January 2023 riot in which the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace were ransacked.

The far-right politician, appearing relaxed, and seven allies were being questioned by a panel of judges in over allegations they devised a scheme to keep Bolsonaro in office despite his loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“There was never any talk of a coup. A coup is an abominable thing," Bolsonaro said. “Brazil couldn’t go through an experience like that. And there was never even the possibility of a coup in my government.”

The far-right politician admitted to discussing “possibilities” with the heads of the armed forces following Lula’s win, but within constitutional limits. He didn’t give details.

At one point, he joked with Justice Alexandre de Moraes — whose death was part of the plot, the prosecutor-general has alleged — a contrast to the sharp words Bolsonaro has aimed at the court in the past.

The defendants are standing trial on five counts: attempting to stage a coup, involvement in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, aggravated damage and deterioration of listed heritage.

A coup conviction carries a sentence of up to 12 years. A conviction on that and other charges could bring decades behind bars.

The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and asserted that he is the target of political persecution. When asked by de Moraes at the beginning of questioning whether the accusation was true, Bolsonaro replied, “The accusation does not hold, your excellency."

He said that even if he had wanted to impose a “state of siege,” the measures would have been different. “There was no environment for it, no opportunity. We didn’t have even a minimally solid base to do anything,” he said.

The eight defendants are accused of making up the plan’s core group. Justices are also questioning Bolsonaro’s former running mate and defense minister Walter Braga Netto, former ministers Anderson Torres and Augusto Heleno and ex aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, among others.

Judges will hear from 26 other defendants at a later date. The court has already heard from dozens of witnesses in hearings that began in mid-May.

Cid, who has signed a plea bargain with the federal police, told the court on Monday that Bolsonaro read and edited a document that aimed at canceling the election result.

Cid also said Bolsonaro refused to interfere regarding camps that supporters set up in front of army facilities calling for a military intervention after the election loss.

Many of those followers were later part of the Jan. 8, 2023 riot. Police say their uprising — which occurred after Lula was sworn in — was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president.

Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet alleges the riot was part of a scheme to overturn the election result. Part of that plot allegedly included a plan to kill Lula and de Moraes. The plan did not go ahead at the last minute because the accused failed to get the army’s commander on board, according to Gonet.

Bolsonaro, a former military officer who was known to express nostalgia for the country’s past dictatorship, openly defied Brazil’s judicial system during his 2019-2022 term in office.

He has been banned by Brazil’s top electoral court from running in elections until 2030 over abuse of power while in office and casting unfounded doubts on the country’s electronic voting system.

Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think tank and university, called the trial historic.

“It’s the first time we see people accused of an attempted coup are being subjected to a criminal trial, with the guarantees of due criminal process — being able to defend themselves but answering for these accusations,” he said.