The Supreme Federal Court (STF) of Brazil sentenced the first defendant tried for the violent attacks perpetrated by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro against the headquarters of the three powers on January 8 to 17 years in prison.
Aécio Lúcio Costa Pereira, 51 years old, was convicted by the court for the crimes of criminal association, coup d’état, abolition of the democratic rule of law, qualified damage to Union property and deterioration of cataloged property, which were attributed to by the Attorney General’s Office (PGR).
Seven of the eleven magistrates voted unreservedly, together with the rapporteur of the case at the STF, Judge Alexandre de Morais, to sentence Aécio Lúcio Costa Pereira to 17 years in prison.
Two other judges agreed with the speaker, but suggested different sanctions.
There were two divergent votes, one from the judge reviewing the case, Kassio Nunes Marques, who voted in favor of convicting the defendants only for the crimes of qualified damage and deterioration of public property, which would be equivalent to a two-year sentence. and six months of open prison.
Judge André Mendonça spoke along the same lines, disagreeing with the sentence for attempted coup d’état, although he proposed a harsher sentence of seven years and eleven months.
Both Nunes Marques and Mendonça came to the STF thanks to Bolsonaro.
Aécio Lúcio Costa Pereira was the first of the 1,390 defendants facing criminal proceedings for participating in the violent assault on the offices of the Presidency, Parliament and the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court itself, on January 8.
The invasion began after Brazilian far-right activists, supporters of the previous president, defeated by Inácio Lula da Silva in last October’s elections, called a protest at the Esplanada dos Ministérios.
The Brazilian justice system is also investigating Jair Bolsonaro to clarify whether he had a role in instigating the coup acts and investigations are also being carried out against public officials and other authorities suspected of omitting or facilitating the attacks.
Source: TSF
