Brazil’s Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced the first three to prison terms of up to 17 years for the Bolsonaro riot in Brasilia in January, accused of attempting a coup after the inauguration of leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

“The Federal Supreme Court has decided by majority vote to condemn the case “Aecio Lucio Costa Pereira sentenced to 17 years”declared the president of the court, Rosa Weber, at the end of the first of the three trials against the followers of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who had plundered the seats of power in Brasilia, dissatisfied with the electoral defeat of the far right.

Later, the Supreme Court also condemned Thiago de Assis Mathar to 14 years in prison and Matheus Lima de Carvalho to 17 years for the same crimes as Pereira.

In all cases, the sentences that prevailed were the most severe among the court’s eleven judges.

Pereira, a 51-year-old Brazilian from the state of Sao Paulo, took part in the invasion of Congress and was convicted of crimes including attempted violent abolition of the democratic constitutional state, coup d’état, armed criminal association, aggravated damage and deterioration of protected heritage.

He must also pay an individual fine and compensation for “collective moral and material damage” of 30 million reais (about $6 million), along with the other convicts.

January 8 “wasn’t a walk in the park. It was a Sunday of devastation, the day of shame,” Weber lamented.

Driven by Bolsonaro supporters

The invasion and plundering of the headquarters of the presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court itself took place just a week after the inauguration of Lula, who narrowly won the October elections.

“The aim was to, through violence, besiege Brasilia and spread the practice of criminal acts throughout the country,” said Cristiano Zanin, one of the judges.

In addition to invading historic buildings designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, protesters broke glass, chairs, tables, valuable works of art and historic furniture.

This was said by Judge-Rapporteur Alexandre de Moraes, who proposed the sentence of seventeen years They wanted to “convince the military to join this coup.”

Moraes showed a video of Pereira in the Senate chamber celebrating the invasion.

Only two judges dismissed the attempted coup charge.

“The removal of the government would have depended on actions beyond the reach of those people,” argued André Mendonça, a magistrate who defended this position.

Pereira’s lawyers insisted the suspect was not armed and that he had not committed “any violent act.”

In the case of Mathar, another convict, he was circulating through the presidential office in the Planalto Palace on the day of the destruction, Moraes pointed out.

“He came to overthrow the democratically elected government. But he failed and was arrested,” the rapporteur said.

Mathar’s lawyer assured that his client longed for “a better country, he did not want to come and make a fuss.”

Regarding Carvalho, who invaded Congress on January 8, Moraes showed messages sent to his wife in which he defended “destroying everything” so that “the army” could take action.

More than 200 tests

The prosecutor has filed 232 complaints against those allegedly responsible for the most serious crimes, including the first three convicts. The court is expected to try a fourth prisoner soon.

Bolsonaro, who was recently declared ineligible for eight years for providing false information about the electoral system, is under investigation for his alleged role as instigator of the riot.

The former president, who was in the United States at the time of the attacks, has denied any responsibility.

Before January 8, thousands of his supporters, convinced that he had been a victim of election fraud, promoted roadblocks and demonstrations in front of military barracks, calling for military intervention.

Members of the police leadership of the Federal District, Brasilia region, were arrested last month on charges of “negligence” and attempted coup, after investigations revealed “coordination” with protesters.

In addition to complaints about the most serious crimes, The public prosecutor’s office is analyzing more than a thousand cases that will end in fines and social security contributions instead of “criminal prosecution”. when agreements are made. (JO)