Brasรญlia – Brazil‘s Federalโ Supreme Court (STF) Minister โAlexandre de Moraes has rejected a request from former President Jair Bolsonaro’s defense team for continuous, unrestricted access โฃto top leaders of โthe Liberal Party (PL) while Bolsonaro remains under houseโค arrest. The decision, reported by CNN Brazil, came swiftly after the request was submitted to the Rapporteur Minister.
Brasรญlia โ- A shift in strategy might potentially be brewing โinโ the case against โคformer Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro โฃregarding โthe alleged โattempted coup, โฃas Supreme Court โJustice Luรญs fux has โขsignaled a willingness to consider the “absorption thesis,” โคoffering a potential path to reduced charges or penalties. This development has sparked hope among Bolsonaro’s supporters, who seeโ Fuxโ as โคa possible โคmoderating force within the court.
The “absorption thesis” argues thatโค some of the crimes Bolsonaro is accused of – including attempted โviolent abolition of theโฃ democratic Rule of Law and coup d’รฉtat – may fall under the โbroader charge of deterioration of heritage,perhapsโ lessening the severity of the overallโฃ conviction. Justice Fux isn’tโ aloneโ in considering this approach;โ Minister Luis Roberto Barroso, the current president of the Court, has also previously defended the thesis.
During the initial review of the complaint, Fux โvoiced concerns about โthe potential overlap of the charges related to crimes against democratic institutions. โฃ”It is possibleโค that, in the course ofโ instruction, it isโ concluded that there is โฃactually an apparent conflict that can be fitted โinto a certain kind that is broader than the other,” he stated at โฃthe time. While a conviction remains possible,this viewpoint could openโ theโค door to a lighter sentence.
Fux previously demonstrated this line of reasoning in the โcase of Dรฉbora Rodrigues dos Santos, a hairdresser who defacedโค the statueโข of “The Justice” in front of the Supreme Court. He divergedโ from Justice Alexandre de Moraes, voting to apply a sentence ofโค one year andโข six months forโข deterioration ofโฃ heritage, while acquitting her of more serious charges like attempted coup and violent abolition of the โคDemocratic Rule of Law.
Bolsonaro is currently accused of leading a criminal organization aimed at overturning the results of the โ2022 election. The charges include armed criminal association, attempted violent abolition of theโข Democratic Rule of Law, coup d’รฉtat, qualified damage, and deterioration ofโ listedโ heritage.
Hisโ legal teamโข maintains his innocence, arguing he did not โparticipate in any attempt to disrupt the democratic process. During his STF interrogation in June, Bolsonaro admitted discussing “alternatives” following his electoral defeat,โฃ but denied any โintent to instigateโข a coup. He claimed the proposals were ultimately abandonedโ due to a lackโฃ of support and โfeasibility, stating thereโ was no “climate,” “chance” and “minimally solid baseโ for anything.”
Former Electoral โขCourt Advisorโค Denounced for โEmbezzlement and Criminal Organization
florianรณpolis – Eduardo Tagliaferro, formerly the head of the Special Advisory to Confront Disinformation at Brazil’s Superiorโค Electoral Court (TSE) while Minister Alexandre de Moraes presided over the agency, has been denounced for embezzlement andโค criminal organization. Theโข complaint, filed in 2023 with three initial cases cited, alleges illicit activity during Tagliaferro’s tenure.โ Aโค subsequent โคgrowth in โคJanuary 2024 โฃsaw another judge temporarily assume โproceedings from Judge Ekschmiedt after the prosecutor was removed and reported the situation to the Civil Police.
Tagliaferro’s accusations against Moraes surfaced during a Senate hearing on Tuesday, where he alleged the forging of reports to justify a 2022 operation targeting Bolsonarist entrepreneurs. Moraes swiftly deniedโ the allegations, issuing a statement affirming that all actions takenโค were official and conducted โin accordance with โขprotocol, with due notification to the Attorney General’s โOffice.
the complaint details allegations of financial improprieties and coordinated โคcriminal activity.Lawyers Paulo Hamilton Siqueira Junior and Pauloโ Herschander, representing Judge Ekschmiedt, stated they will addressโ the accusations solely โwithin the legal proceedings, citing the case’sโ confidential โขnature. Their โขstatement affirmed Ekschmiedt’s denial of the imputed facts and a commitment to due process and institutional respect. Attempts to reach Eduardo Kuntz, Tagliaferro’s lawyer, for comment were unsuccessful as of publication.
the Supremeโฃ Federal Court (STF) has commenced a landmarkโฃ judgment concerning โคthe actions of former President Jair Bolsonaro and his allies related to the events surrounding the 2022 election and the subsequent โunrest.โค Theโฃ trial’s outcome will determine the legal fate of those involved andโ is already substantially impacting the โขpolitical landscape, notably regardingโ potential right-wing candidates for the 2026 presidential election.
A central point ofโฃ contention is the denunciation made by Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid, a former aide to Bolsonaro. While some defendants, including โBolsonaro himself, are attempting to annul the agreement, the prosecutor General’s Office (PGR)โข is advocating for a minimal reduction in sentencing, citing the “superficial and poorly enlightening” nature of military testimonies. The defense โteams are โขleveraging inconsistencies in Cid’s testimony, including his arrest โฃduring questioning and threats ofโ re-detention following omissions, to challenge the validity of โthe denunciation.
The examination, initiated by the Federal Police in 2023, originatedโฃ with evidenceโ discovered on Lieutenant Colonel Cid’s cell phone and gained momentum with his testimony. Further evidence revealed that Bolsonaro presented a plan to Armedโ Forces commanders to overturn his electoral defeat, a plan that was ultimately rejected.
Legal experts emphasize the significance of the judgment beyond its immediate legal consequences. FGV professor Rubens Glezer notes that the ruling will โ”give a limit of โwhat is tolerable โin the constitutional pact,” asserting that denying โฃelection resultsโ and inciting theโค population with false facts are incompatible with a liberal โconstitutional democracy.He also highlights that any potential liability of the military sends a clear message that attempts to undermine the democratic process will have repercussions.
the possibility of Bolsonaro’s conviction is accelerating discussions within the right-wing regarding the 2026 elections.Leaders within the โCentrรฃo, a โpowerful bloc in the โNational Congress, are encouraging Sรฃo Paulo Governor โTarcisio de โFreitas to enter the race, a move publicly refuted by bolsonaro’s son, Eduardo Bolsonaro. Governor โขde Freitas, while maintaining a candidate’s rhetoric, โhas recently begun addressing national issues andโ appearing alongsideโข Centrรฃo leaders.
Otherโ potential right-wing candidates, including Governors Ronaldo caiado of Goiรกs and romeu Zema of Minas Gerais, have announced their pre-candidacies, while Ratinho Jรบnior of Paranรก is also considered a potential contender. Centrรฃo members believe that following the STF’s decision, Bolsonaro will face pressure to endorse a candidate โto prevent fragmentation withinโฃ the right-wing political spectrum.
Should Bolsonaro be convicted, he would face not only an extended period of ineligibility but also imprisonment, effectively preventingโฃ him from campaigning.This scenario further โฃfuels โthe search for a successor to lead the โฃright-wing opposition in the upcoming elections.
A tally of senatorial stances on impeaching Supreme Court Justice **Alexandre de Moraes** has been updated, revealing a divided chamber. The data, compiled by the website votossenadores.com.br, indicates 34 senators currently favor the impeachment proceedings.
For an impeachment request to succeed, it requires the approval of 54 senators, representing two-thirds of the Senate’s full membership. The current count shows 19 senators opposing the motion, with a significant 28 remaining undecided on their position.
The votossenadores.com.br site, established this year by critics of Justice **Alexandre de Moraes**, aims to track the sentiment of senators concerning his actions. The justice is currently overseeing cases involving former President **Jair Bolsonaro** and individuals connected to the January 8th events.
Political tensions have escalated following recent sanctions imposed by the United States on Justice **Moraes** under the Magnitsky Act. These measures restrict his ability to engage in transactions with U.S. financial institutions, amplifying scrutiny of his role.
Federal Deputy **Nikolas Ferreira** has been a prominent figure in recent demonstrations advocating for **Moraes**’s impeachment. He has actively promoted the agenda, which includes calls for amnesty and limitations on the Supreme Court’s powers, emphasizing broad defense and freedom of expression.
โThe deputy was one of the main conveys of the national act in defense of the impeachment of the STF minister.โ
โOriginal Report
Ferreira confirmed his participation in rallies in Belo Horizonte and Sรฃo Paulo, signaling an effort to intensify political pressure and voice growing discontent with the actions of the Supreme Federal Court and the current federal administration. His involvement highlights the polarized nature of the debate surrounding judicial power and accountability in Brazil.
The provided list details the 34 senators who have reportedly declared support for the impeachment of Justice **Alexandre de Moraes**:
The ongoing debate reflects broader national discussions about judicial overreach and accountability. In countries like Germany, similar discussions around parliamentary oversight of judges are ongoing, with the Bundestag occasionally debating the political influence of judicial appointments and decisions (Bundestag Legal Affairs Committee).
Brazil‘s Justice Minister, Ricardo Lewandowski, has condemned recent sanctions imposed by the United States, labeling them an “unacceptable” infringement on brazil’s sovereignty. He vowed that Brazil would take appropriate action in “appropriate forums and moments.”
Lewandowski emphasized on X (formerly Twitter) that an independent judiciary is a cornerstone of democracy and that Brazilians would not tolerate political pressure on those fulfilling their constitutional duties.
These sanctions follow a US state Department proclamation nearly two weeks prior, imposing visa restrictions on brazilian judicial officials. The US cited accusations of a “political witch hunt” against former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro, an ally of former US President donald Trump, is currently facing trial for an alleged conspiracy to invalidate the results of the 2022 presidential election, which he lost to President Luiz Inรกcio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has denied these allegations.
Earlier this year, Brazil’s Supreme Court imposed restrictions on Bolsonaro, prohibiting him from communicating with foreign officials, approaching embassies, and using social media platforms.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, a Supreme Court justice, previously made headlines last year when he ordered the suspension of the social media platform X in Brazil. This action stemmed from a dispute with X’s owner,Elon Musk,over content moderation policies concerning hate speech and X’s failure to appoint a legal representative in the country as required by law. The platform has since been reinstated in Brazil, a nation of 220 million inhabitants.
