247 - The First Panel of the Supreme Federal Court is evaluating the complaint filed by the Attorney General's Office (PGR) against federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), accused of attempting to influence, from abroad, the trial that convicted his father, Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

The trial is taking place in the virtual plenary of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), where the justices register their votes electronically. The analysis is scheduled to continue until November 25th, unless a request for review or a separate hearing is made. It is up to the panel to decide whether to accept the charges, opening a criminal case against Eduardo Bolsonaro, or to dismiss the case.

Moraes details"serious threat" to Supreme Court justices.

The rapporteur, Justice Alexandre de Moraes, opened the voting with a forceful statement. According to him, Eduardo Bolsonaro"insisted on the strategy of seriously threatening the justices of the Supreme Federal Court, including boasting about the possible application of sanctions to the other justices of the First Panel [...] to favor his father, Jair Messias Bolsonaro."

Moraes states that the threats materialized as a result of coordination with the United States government, led by President Donald Trump. In his vote, he highlighted that the intimidation was carried out through"coordination and obtaining sanctions from the United States government."

Among the measures adopted is a 50% surcharge on Brazilian products, announced by the US government under the allegation—without evidence—of supposed injustices committed by the Brazilian Justice system against Jair Bolsonaro. Moraes and his wife, Viviane de Moraes, were included in the Magnitsky Act, a US economic sanctions mechanism. Other ministers of the Supreme Federal Court and the Attorney General of the Union, Jorge Messias, also had their visas canceled.

In another part of his opinion, Moraes pointed out that"the specific subjective element — favoring one's own or another's interest — is evidenced, in theory, by the fact that the defendant intended to create an environment of intimidation regarding the authorities responsible for judging Jair Bolsonaro and also regarding the authorities responsible for a possible amnesty project for the crimes imputed to Jair Bolsonaro and co-defendants responsible for the attempted coup d'état that occurred in Brazil."

The minister concluded that the Attorney General's Office had demonstrated just cause for initiating criminal proceedings, detailing the conduct which, in its assessment, constitutes a crime.

The complaint from the Attorney General's Office

The Attorney General's Office argues that Eduardo Bolsonaro and political analyst Paulo Figueiredo committed the crime of coercion during legal proceedings—when someone uses violence or serious threats to interfere in judicial, police, administrative, or arbitration proceedings for their own benefit or that of third parties. The penalty ranges from one to four years in prison.