Latest news with #JusticeMoraes
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Brazil's Bolsonaro takes the stand before the Supreme Court over alleged coup plot
Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro appeared before the Supreme Court for the first time Tuesday and denied participation in an alleged plot to remain in power and overturn the 2022 election result as he faces charges that could bring decades behind bars. Many Brazilians followed the trial, which was streamed online. The country was shaken by the January 2023 riot in which the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace were ransacked. The far-right politician, appearing relaxed, and seven allies were being questioned by a panel of judges over allegations they devised a scheme to keep Bolsonaro in office despite his loss to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. 'There was never any talk of a coup. A coup is an abominable thing," Bolsonaro said. 'Brazil couldn't go through an experience like that. And there was never even the possibility of a coup in my government.' The far-right politician admitted to discussing 'possibilities' with the heads of the armed forces following Lula's win, but within constitutional limits. He didn't give details. Bolsonaro's questioning lasted just over two hours. At one point, he joked with Justice Alexandre de Moraes — whose planned killing was part of the plot, the prosecutor-general has alleged — a contrast to the sharp words Bolsonaro has aimed at the court in the past. Bolsonaro could face decades in prison The defendants are standing trial on five counts: attempting to stage a coup, involvement in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, aggravated damage and deterioration of listed heritage. A coup conviction carries a sentence of up to 12 years. A conviction on that and other charges could bring decades behind bars. The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and asserted that he is the target of political persecution. When asked by de Moraes at the beginning of questioning whether the accusation was true, Bolsonaro replied, 'The accusation does not hold, your excellency.' He said that even if he had wanted to impose a 'state of siege,' the measures would have been different. 'There was no environment for it, no opportunity. We didn't have even a minimally solid base to do anything,' he said. The eight defendants are accused of making up the plan's core group. Justices are also questioning Bolsonaro's former running mate and defense minister Walter Braga Netto, former ministers Anderson Torres and Augusto Heleno and ex aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, among others. Judges will hear from 26 other defendants at a later date. The court has already heard from dozens of witnesses in hearings that began in mid-May. Cid, who has signed a plea bargain with the federal police, told the court on Monday that Bolsonaro read and edited a document that aimed at canceling the election result. Cid also said Bolsonaro refused to interfere regarding camps that supporters set up in front of army facilities calling for a military intervention after the election loss. Many of those followers were later part of the Jan. 8, 2023 riot. Police say their uprising — which occurred after Lula was sworn in — was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president. Prosecutor: Riot part of scheme to overturn election results Bolsonaro on Tuesday referred to supporters who were calling for a military intervention as 'crazy.' Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet alleges the riot was part of a scheme to overturn the election result. Part of that plot allegedly included a plan to kill Lula and de Moraes. The plan did not go ahead at the last minute because the accused failed to get the army's commander on board, according to Gonet. On Tuesday, Bolsonaro said he had learned about the plot, which received the sinister name of 'Green and Yellow Dagger,' when it was reported in the press. 'If it had been proposed, in my view, it would have been rejected, with immediate action taken,' he said. Bolsonaro, a former military officer who was known to express nostalgia for the country's past dictatorship, openly defied Brazil's judicial system during his 2019-2022 term in office. He has been banned by Brazil's top electoral court from running in elections until 2030 over abuse of power while in office and casting unfounded doubts on the country's electronic voting system. A watershed trial Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think tank and university, called the trial historic. 'It's the first time we see people accused of an attempted coup are being subjected to a criminal trial, with the guarantees of due criminal process, being able to defend themselves but answering for these accusations,' he said. The trial is particularly significant in light of the fact that Brazil's constitution was adopted in 1988, less than four decades ago, Bottino said. Brazil is showing that it has 'the democratic maturity to be able to use due process to investigate this type of accusation and, if necessary, hold those responsible accountable,' he said. ___
CTV News
4 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Brazil's Bolsonaro takes the stand before Supreme Court over alleged coup plan
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro shows his cell phone during his Supreme Court trial as he and others face charges for an alleged coup plot to keep him in office after his 2022 election defeat, in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro denied participation in an alleged plot to remain in power and overturn the 2022 election result as he testified Tuesday for the first time before the Supreme Court over the charges. Bolsonaro and seven close allies were being questioned by a panel of top judges as part of a trial over allegations they devised a multistep scheme to keep Bolsonaro in office despite his defeat to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. 'There was never any talk of a coup. A coup is an abominable thing ... . Brazil couldn't go through an experience like that. And there was never even the possibility of a coup in my government,' Bolsonaro said. The defendants are standing trial on five counts: attempting to stage a coup, involvement in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of the democratic rule of law, aggravated damage and deterioration of listed heritage. A coup conviction carries a sentence of up to 12 years. When combined with the other charges, the accused could be sentenced to decades behind bars. The far-right politician took the stand just after 2:30 p.m. local time. When asked by Justice Alexandre de Moraes at the beginning of questioning whether the accusation was true, Bolsonaro said no. 'The accusation does not hold, Your Excellency,' Bolsonaro said. The former president has repeatedly denied the allegations and said he is the target of political persecution. The eight defendants are accused of making up the plan's core group. Justices are also questioning Bolsonaro's former running mate and defense minister Walter Braga Netto, former ministers Anderson Torres and Augusto Heleno and ex aide-de-camp Mauro Cid, among others. Judges will hear from 26 other defendants at a later date. The court has already heard from dozens of witnesses in hearings that began in mid-May. Cid, who has signed a plea bargain with the federal police, told the court on Monday that Bolsonaro read and edited a document that aimed at canceling the election result. Cid also said that Bolsonaro refused to interfere regarding camps by supporters that were set up in front of army facilities calling for a military intervention after the then-president lost the election. Many of those followers were later part of the Jan. 8, 2023 riot, when the Supreme Court, Congress and presidential palace in Brasilia, the capital, were ransacked. Police say their uprising — which came after Lula was sworn in — was an attempt to force military intervention and oust the new president. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet alleges the riot was one part of a sprawling, antidemocratic scheme to overturn the election result. Part of that plot allegedly included a plan to kill Lula and Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The plan did not go ahead at the last minute because the accused failed to get the army's commander on board, according to Gonet. Bolsonaro, a former military officer who was known to express nostalgia for the country's past dictatorship, openly defied Brazil's judicial system during his 2019-2022 term in office. He has already been banned by Brazil's top electoral court from running in elections until 2030 over abuse of power while in office and casting unfounded doubts on the country's electronic voting system. Thiago Bottino, a law professor at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think tank and university, called the trial historic. 'It's the first time we see people accused of an attempted coup are being subjected to a criminal trial, with the guarantees of due criminal process — being able to defend themselves but answering for these accusations,' he said. Eléonore Hughes, The Associated Press
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump-backed media company sues Brazilian Supreme Court justice, claims he's illegally censoring free speech
The Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) and Rumble filed a lawsuit against a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Wednesday, claiming voices in America were being illegally censored on social media. TMTG, the parent company of Truth Social and Rumble, a video-sharing platform dedicated to free speech, accused Justice Alexandre de Moraes of attempting to "illegally censor American companies operating primarily on American soil," according to the lawsuit filed in a U.S. federal court in Tampa. TMTG and Rumble accused Moraes of issuing a "blatantly unlawful gag order" on political discourse "outside the scope of Justice Moraes's authority" under Brazilian law because it impacts American companies. The lawsuit describes a person identified as "Political Dissident A," who fled Brazil for political asylum in the U.S. after Moraes issued a warrant for his arrest for the crime of "spreading misinformation" and "criticizing the Supreme Court." "Justice Moraes has issued sweeping orders to suspend multiple U.S.-based accounts… of a well-known politically outspoken user… ensuring no person in the United States can see his content," the lawsuit, which has been obtained by Fox News Digital, states. Trump Amps Up The Pressure On Cbs With Massive Discovery Demand As '60 Minutes' Lawsuit Moves Forward According to the lawsuit, Moraes has ordered Rumble to block the account of "Political Dissident A," or face the shutdown of Rumble in Brazil, but plaintiffs argue that allegedly "spreading misinformation" and "criticizing the Supreme Court" are perfectly legal in the U.S. where Rumble operates. Truth Social says it would also be impacted because it relies partially on Rumble technology. Read On The Fox News App "The Gag Orders, as issued, censor legitimate political discourse in the United States, undermining fundamental constitutional protections enshrined in the First Amendment, clashing with the Communications Decency Act, and defying basic comity principles," the lawsuit continues. The Rumble and TMTG legal teams are seeking a judgment declaring Moraes's Gag Orders unenforceable in the United States. "Allowing Justice Moraes to muzzle a vocal user on an American digital outlet would jeopardize our country's bedrock commitment to open and robust debate. Neither extraterritorial dictates nor judicial overreach from abroad can override the freedoms protected by the U.S. Constitution and law," the lawsuit states. Trump's Lawsuit Against Cbs Expands After Release Of '60 Minutes' Transcript, Adds Paramount As Defendant Neither Rumble nor TMTG has any entities, operations, employees, bank accounts, or businesses in Brazil, according to the lawsuit. "If Justice Moraes's actions were confined to Brazil, they would be regrettable, and likely not in the province of U.S. Courts. But many of Justice Moraes's actions, including the illegal Gag Orders challenged here, reach directly into the United States to compel action by U.S. companies having no presence in Brazil, and which will have the effect of suppressing speech not just in Brazil, but in the United States and throughout the world," the lawsuit states. "This extraterritorial censorship thus exerts a direct, tangible impact on both Rumble and TMTG. Rumble—with its headquarters, key physical servers, and technical infrastructure located on American soil—is subject to crushing fines or an outright ban if it defies Justice Moraes's Gag Orders," the suit continues. "The stakes are magnified by the possibility that Justice Moraes may pressure Google or Apple to remove the Rumble app from their app stores entirely, effectively banning it from U.S. devices, as well as other third service telecom providers to shut down Rumble. As a result, Truth Social—which depends, in part, on Rumble's technology—risks operational challenges in the United States," the lawsuit added. Rumble and TMTG asked the court to "reject the enforceability of Justice Moraes's orders on the grounds that they were issued and attempted to be enforced in violation of established legal mechanisms, in breach of U.S. sovereignty, in violation of U.S. laws, and in a manner incompatible with U.S. public policy." Moraes did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brazil's Prosecutor-general Files Charges Against Ex-president Bolsonaro Over Alleged Coup Plan Moraes recently "received an indictment that would force him to decide whether to order the arrest of Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president and an ally of Mr. Trump," according to The New York Times. Bolsonaro is accused of participating in a plan to remain in power despite losing to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing. "Justice Moraes has argued that his actions are necessary to protect Brazil from the anti-democratic acts of Mr. Bolsonaro and his supporters," the Times added. Moraes has been outspoken against misinformation on social media and previously battled X owner Elon Musk, blocking his social media network in Brazil until Musk complied with orders to suspend "hundreds of social media accounts" belonging to Bolsonaro supporters, according to the Times. On June 25, 2024, President Donald Trump owned approximately 58.7% of the outstanding shares of TMTG, according to the company's website. In December, he transferred almost all his shares to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. TMTG was founded in February 2021 by Trump and Andy Dean Litinsky. The company started trading on the NASDAQ in March article source: Trump-backed media company sues Brazilian Supreme Court justice, claims he's illegally censoring free speech
Fox News
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump-backed media company sues Brazilian Supreme Court justice, claims he's illegally censoring free speech
The Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) and Rumble filed a lawsuit against a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Wednesday, claiming voices in America were being illegally censored on social media. TMTG, the parent company of Truth Social and Rumble, a video-sharing platform dedicated to free speech, accused Justice Alexandre de Moraes of attempting to "illegally censor American companies operating primarily on American soil," according to the lawsuit filed in a U.S. federal court in Tampa. TMTG and Rumble accused Moraes of issuing a "blatantly unlawful gag order" on political discourse "outside the scope of Justice Moraes's authority" under Brazilian law because it impacts American companies. The lawsuit describes a person identified as "Political Dissident A," who fled Brazil for political asylum in the U.S. after Moraes issued a warrant for his arrest for the crime of "spreading misinformation" and "criticizing the Supreme Court." "Justice Moraes has issued sweeping orders to suspend multiple U.S.-based accounts… of a well-known politically outspoken user… ensuring no person in the United States can see his content," the lawsuit, which has been obtained by Fox News Digital, states. According to the lawsuit, Moraes has ordered Rumble to block the account of "Political Dissident A," or face the shutdown of Rumble in Brazil, but plaintiffs argue that allegedly "spreading misinformation" and "criticizing the Supreme Court" are perfectly legal in the U.S. where Rumble operates. Truth Social says it would also be impacted because it relies partially on Rumble technology. "The Gag Orders, as issued, censor legitimate political discourse in the United States, undermining fundamental constitutional protections enshrined in the First Amendment, clashing with the Communications Decency Act, and defying basic comity principles," the lawsuit continues. The Rumble and TMTG legal teams are seeking a judgment declaring Moraes's Gag Orders unenforceable in the United States. "Allowing Justice Moraes to muzzle a vocal user on an American digital outlet would jeopardize our country's bedrock commitment to open and robust debate. Neither extraterritorial dictates nor judicial overreach from abroad can override the freedoms protected by the U.S. Constitution and law," the lawsuit states. Neither Rumble nor TMTG has any entities, operations, employees, bank accounts, or businesses in Brazil, according to the lawsuit. "If Justice Moraes's actions were confined to Brazil, they would be regrettable, and likely not in the province of U.S. Courts. But many of Justice Moraes's actions, including the illegal Gag Orders challenged here, reach directly into the United States to compel action by U.S. companies having no presence in Brazil, and which will have the effect of suppressing speech not just in Brazil, but in the United States and throughout the world," the lawsuit states. "This extraterritorial censorship thus exerts a direct, tangible impact on both Rumble and TMTG. Rumble—with its headquarters, key physical servers, and technical infrastructure located on American soil—is subject to crushing fines or an outright ban if it defies Justice Moraes's Gag Orders," the suit continues. "The stakes are magnified by the possibility that Justice Moraes may pressure Google or Apple to remove the Rumble app from their app stores entirely, effectively banning it from U.S. devices, as well as other third service telecom providers to shut down Rumble. As a result, Truth Social—which depends, in part, on Rumble's technology—risks operational challenges in the United States," the lawsuit added. Rumble and TMTG asked the court to "reject the enforceability of Justice Moraes's orders on the grounds that they were issued and attempted to be enforced in violation of established legal mechanisms, in breach of U.S. sovereignty, in violation of U.S. laws, and in a manner incompatible with U.S. public policy." Moraes did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moraes recently "received an indictment that would force him to decide whether to order the arrest of Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president and an ally of Mr. Trump," according to The New York Times. Bolsonaro is accused of participating in a plan to remain in power despite losing to current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing. "Justice Moraes has argued that his actions are necessary to protect Brazil from the anti-democratic acts of Mr. Bolsonaro and his supporters," the Times added. Moraes has been outspoken against misinformation on social media and previously battled X owner Elon Musk, blocking his social media network in Brazil until Musk complied with orders to suspend "hundreds of social media accounts" belonging to Bolsonaro supporters, according to the Times. On June 25, 2024, President Donald Trump owned approximately 58.7% of the outstanding shares of TMTG, according to the company's website. In December, he transferred almost all his shares to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. TMTG was founded in February 2021 by Trump and Andy Dean Litinsky. The company started trading on the NASDAQ in March 2024.
New York Times
19-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Trump Media Group Sues Brazilian Judge Weighing Arrest of Jair Bolsonaro
President Trump's media company sued a Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Wednesday, accusing him of illegally censoring right-wing voices on social media. The unusual move was made all the more extraordinary by its timing: Just hours earlier, the Brazilian justice had received an indictment that would force him to decide whether to order the arrest of Jair Bolsonaro, the former Brazilian president and an ally of Mr. Trump. The justice is overseeing multiple criminal investigations into Mr. Bolsonaro. The Trump Media & Technology Group — which is majority owned by Mr. Trump and runs his Truth Social site — sued the Brazilian justice, Alexandre de Moraes, in U.S. federal court in Tampa on Wednesday morning. Joining as a plaintiff was Rumble, a Florida-based video platform that, like Truth Social, pitches itself as a home for free speech. The companies accused Justice Moraes of censoring political discourse in the United States and infringing upon the First Amendment by ordering Rumble to remove the accounts of certain right-wing Brazilian pundits. The companies argued that those orders could apply to how those accounts appeared in the United States, breaking American law. Mr. Trump's company has not been subject to Justice Moraes's orders, but it argued in the lawsuit that it relied on Rumble's technology and therefore could be harmed if Rumble's operations were affected. Justice Moraes has argued that his actions are necessary to protect Brazil from the anti-democratic acts of Mr. Bolsonaro and his supporters. His spokeswoman said that Justice Moraes did not have immediate comment. This is a developing story and will be updated.
