Brazil’s Supreme Court charges additional 70 individuals over alleged coup attempt against President Lula

In a majority decision yesterday, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) of Brazil, the nation’s controversial highest judicial body, indicted and sent to trial an additional 70 individuals suspected of involvement in the January 8 attempted coup against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, according to official reports.

Following this decision, the number of indicted individuals, most of whom are supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), rises to 1,175 out of the 1,390 accused of the coup attempt.

These individuals are slated for trial on various charges related to the breach of the rule of law during the attack on the headquarters of the Three Powers in Brasília.

In an electronic vote, seven out of the ten justices of the Brazilian Supreme Court constituted the majority on Friday.

The charges were endorsed by seven of the ten justices currently presiding over the court and are leveled against 70 individuals, including direct perpetrators of the assault and financial backers of the coup groups.

The latter group allegedly aimed to incite a military coup d’état to depose Lula and discredit the elections in which the incumbent president triumphed over Bolsonaro.

Among those charged is former Justice Minister Anderson Torres, who is currently under house arrest due to health concerns.

At the time of the incident in the first week of the year, Torres was serving as the Security Secretary of the Brasília Regional Government.

He is accused of enabling vandals by clearing the area and diminishing police presence around public buildings in the Brazilian capital.

These vandals launched attacks on and caused damage to the Congress buildings, the Federal Supreme Court, and the executive seat of power, the Planalto Palace.

The justices charged the defendants based on the allegations brought forward by the Attorney General’s Office.

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