‘Not a single shred of evidence’: Bolsonaro pushes for acquittal in Brazil

Lawyers representing erstwhile President Jair Bolsonaro person told a sheet of 5 justices connected Brazil’s Supreme Court that their lawsuit was denied a just proceeding connected charges helium plotted a coup d’etat.

A verdict successful the lawsuit is expected wrong days. But connected Wednesday, Bolsonaro’s defence squad argued that thing different than an acquittal would beryllium a miscarriage of justice.

Bolsonaro’s lawyers besides questioned whether the proceedings had been rushed owed to governmental motives.

“We did not person entree to the evidence, and overmuch little had capable clip to spell done it,” lawyer Celso Vilardi told the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless, Vilardi told the tribunal determination was “not a azygous shred of grounds linking” Bolsonaro to the alleged crippled to overturn Brazil’s 2022 election.

Overturning an election?

That predetermination saw Bolsonaro, the incumbent, narrowly defeated successful a run-off against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the existent president.

A erstwhile service skipper and far-right leader, Bolsonaro has ne'er conceded his loss, and helium and his allies are accused of seeking to foment unrest successful bid to cling to power.

Prosecutors presented grounds suggesting that Bolsonaro and his supporters planned to state a “state of siege” that would punctual subject enactment and a caller election. One adjutant allegedly projected poisoning Lula, his left-wing rival.

Bolsonaro has denied immoderate wrongdoing, alternatively framing the proceedings arsenic a governmental deed job.

He faces 5 charges, including attempting a coup, seeking to extremity the antiauthoritarian regularisation of instrumentality and participating successful a equipped transgression organisation.

Two of the charges pertain to the spot harm that occurred connected January 8, 2023, erstwhile thousands of Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed authorities buildings successful the superior Brasilia to protestation his defeat. Some rioters expressed that their purpose was to punctual the subject to intervene.

In November 2024, national constabulary outlined the grounds for the lawsuit successful an 884-page report, and successful February, Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet filed the charges.

Since then, the lawsuit has go an planetary spectacle, with satellite leaders similar United States President Donald Trump weighing in.

A high-stakes trial

For immoderate critics, the verdict volition beryllium a trial of Brazil’s democracy, lone 4 decades old.

For Bolsonaro’s supporters, however, the lawsuit is an illustration of the government’s efforts to censor right-wing voices. Trump, who considers Bolsonaro an ally, has placed 50 percent tariffs connected Brazilian exports to the US successful protestation against the erstwhile president’s prosecution.

In Wednesday’s hearing, defence lawyer Paulo Cunha Bueno compared Bolsonaro’s proceedings to the wrongful condemnation of Jewish service serviceman Alfred Dreyfus, a 19th-century lawsuit successful France that drew planetary condemnation.

“An acquittal is perfectly imperative truthful that we don’t person our mentation of the Dreyfus case,” Cunha Bueno told the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro himself is not Jewish. He has been absent from the courtroom successful caller days, reportedly due to the fact that of terrible hiccups and different aesculapian concerns stemming from a stabbing wounded helium received connected the run way successful 2018.

In the last days of the trial, however, his lawyers person sought to formed uncertainty connected the circumstances underpinning the case.

They questioned a plea woody reached with 1 of Bolsonaro’s codefendants, Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid, who is present a authorities witness. And they pointed retired that the proceedings whitethorn person been rushed successful bid to debar repercussions connected the 2026 wide election.

Son seeks amnesty for Bolsonaro

Outside the court, Bolsonaro’s son, Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, has argued that the Supreme Court is biased against his father: One justice, Flavio Dino, was Lula’s erstwhile justness minister, and another, Cristiano Zanin, was Lula’s lawyer.

Flavio Bolsonaro has besides indicated helium is rallying enactment successful Brazil’s Congress to walk an amnesty instrumentality that would support his begetter and the rioters from the 2023 onslaught connected the capital.

“We volition enactment for a broad, general, and unlimited amnesty,” Flavio Bolsonaro told reporters connected Tuesday.

Another 1 of the ex-president’s sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, has reportedly made repetition visits to Trump successful the White House.

But the Supreme Court has rejected immoderate allegation of bias. At the commencement of Tuesday’s hearing, Justice Alexandre de Moraes said the tribunal volition besides not crook to extracurricular pressure, including from Trump.

“National sovereignty cannot, should not, and volition ne'er beryllium vilified, negotiated oregon extorted,” de Moraes said.

Bolsonaro faces up to 43 years successful situation if convicted.