Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court (STF) has sentenced the first defendant for the violent attacks by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro on 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 of the crimes of criminal association, coup d’état, abolition of the democratic constitutional state, aggravated damage to Union property and deterioration of protected property, which were attributed to him by the Public Ministry (PGR).
Seven of the eleven magistrates voted without reservation, 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 rapporteur, but proposed different sentences.
There were two divergent voices, one from the judge who reviewed the case, Kassio Nunes Marques, who voted to convict the suspect only for the crimes of qualified damage and damage to public property, which amounts to a prison sentence of two years and six months imprisonment under an open regime.
Judge André Mendonça spoke along the same lines and differed on the conviction of attempted coup, although he proposed a harsher sentence of seven years and 11 months.
Both Nunes Marques and Mendonça reached the STF thanks to Bolsonaro.
Aécio Lúcio Costa Pereira was the first of 1,390 defendants to face criminal charges for participating in the violent attack on the offices of the presidency, parliament and Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court itself on January 8.
The invasion began after Brazilian far-right activists, supporters of the previous president, who was defeated by Inácio Lula da Silva in last October’s elections, called for a protest at the Esplanada dos Ministérios.
Brazilian justice is also investigating Jair Bolsonaro to clarify whether he played a role in inciting the coup. Investigations are also underway into officials and other authorities suspected of failing to or facilitating the attacks.
Source: DN
