Bolsonaro denies coup attempt before the Supreme Court: "it is an abominable thing"
The former Brazilian president stated that he considered taking exceptional measures during the last weeks of his government to contain the demonstrations of his followers after the electoral setback in 2022.
Jair Bolsonaro, espresident of Brazil.
(AFP) Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro denied any involvement in a coup attempt Tuesday, as he was questioned in a landmark trial before the Supreme Court, and claimed only to have evaluated "constitutional devices" after his electoral defeat to leftist Lula da Silva in 2022.
The former Brazilian president said he considered taking exceptional measures during the last weeks of his government to contain the demonstrations of his supporters following the constitutional measures of his supporters after the electoral setback in 2022, but denied having been involved in a "coup plot" as the investigation claims.
"There was never talk of a coup, a coup is an abominable thing," Bolsonaro affirmed.
World
Brazil: former president Bolsonaro takes the stand accused of 'coup d'état' attempt
Williams Perdomo
The prosecution accuses the former Brazilian president of leading a "criminal organization" to invalidate the results of the 2022 elections and prevent the inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
According to the Prosecutor's Office, the coup was not consummated for lack of support from the military high command.
Questioned about the veracity of the accusation, Bolsonaro replied: "It does not proceed, Excellency."
The former president and seven of his ex-collaborators could face sentences of up to 40 years in prison for the alleged crimes of attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law and a coup d'état.
Two hours of interrogation
Bolsonaro was questioned for two hours by Judge Alexandre de Moraes, considered a political enemy of Bolsonarismo.
"A quite unpleasant moment for me to be in front of your excellency," admitted the former president.
Likewise, Bolsonaro denied having had knowledge of analleged plan to kill Lula, with which prosecutors link him.
Jair Bolsonaro: "With a clear conscience"
After appearing before the Supreme Court, the former Brazilian president posted a message on X in which he stated:
"Today I appeared before the Supreme Federal Court with the same posture I have always maintained throughout my public life: with my head held high, with a clear conscience and the serene spirit of one who knows he is innocent and who has never betrayed the values of the Nation."
Anatomy of a trial
The first to take the stand Monday was Bolsonaro's former right-hand man, Mauro Cid, who claimed that the former president received and "adjusted" a document that provided for implementing a "state of siege" with the "imprisonment of authorities" and the creation of an "electoral council" to rerun the elections.
Bolsonaro flatly denied it: “We didn’t have even the slightest solid basis to do anything.”
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