Brasilia: Brazil’s Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously rejected former President Jair Bolsonaro’s attempt to dismiss charges that he and several allies plotted to overturn the 2022 election results.
Bolsonaro and seven others are accused of orchestrating a plan to keep him in power after he lost to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Defense attorneys argued that their clients were denied access to key evidence and targeted by politically motivated investigations. They also challenged the court’s jurisdiction and asked that the charges be split into separate cases.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the investigation, said the defense had full access to the evidence and dismissed the claims as unfounded. The five-judge panel rejected all motions.
The court also denied requests to remove three of the justices from the case and confirmed the panel’s authority to handle the matter.
Bolsonaro briefly attended the morning session but left without speaking to the media.
The former president was in office from 2019-2023. Others named in the case include former military commanders and the former security chief, among others, under his rule.
The charges, filed in February by Attorney General Paulo Gonet, accuse Bolsonaro of leading a group that allegedly planned a coup attempt after his electoral defeat. Prosecutors say the group conspired to overturn the election and keep Bolsonaro in office.
The court will continue reviewing the charges on Wednesday, and if the charges are accepted, the defendants will stand trial.
