STF Upholds House Arrests in Coup Plot Case Amid Fugitives and Escape Risks
Brazil's Supreme Federal Court maintains house arrests on coup plot conspirators amid escapes and fugitive concerns.
- • STF upheld house arrests on nine to ten convicted coup plot participants.
- • Orders executed across seven states and the Federal District with electronic monitoring.
- • Carlos Cesar Moretzsohn Rocha is a fugitive, while Guilherme Marques de Almeida complied later.
- • Minister Moraes cited a pattern of planned escapes including past incidents like Silvinei Vasques’ flight attempt.
- • Strict precautionary measures include social media bans and passport seizures to prevent further escapes.
Key details
The Supreme Federal Court (STF) in Brazil has upheld the house arrests of nine to ten individuals convicted for their involvement in a coup plot, following a custody hearing led by Judge Luciana Yuki Fugishita Sorrentino, an assistant to STF Minister Alexandre de Moraes. The arrests, ordered by Moraes, include seven army officers, a federal police delegate, Carlos Cesar Moretzsohn Rocha, who is now considered a fugitive, and Filipe Martins, former international advisor to ex-president Jair Bolsonaro.
These house arrests were implemented across seven Brazilian states and the Federal District, with support from the Federal Police and the Army, and involve electronic ankle bracelets and strict precautionary measures such as bans on social media use, restrictions on contact with co-defendants, surrender of passports, suspension of firearm permits, and visitation prohibitions. Lieutenant Colonel Guilherme Marques de Almeida initially was not located but later complied with the house arrest order.
The STF’s actions are a direct response to recent escape attempts within the group. Notably, Silvinei Vasques, former director of the Federal Highway Police and sentenced to 24 years and six months, fled to Paraguay trying to board a flight to El Salvador with a false passport before being detained. Moraes cited a "modus operandi" among the criminal organization indicating a well-planned strategy to execute escapes beyond Brazil's borders, referencing prior escapes such as that of ex-deputy Alexandre Ramagem, who remains a fugitive in the United States.
Minister Moraes emphasized the seriousness of these risks, stating, "The modus operandi of the criminal organization convicted by the Supreme Federal Court indicates the possibility of planning and executing escapes outside national territory, as demonstrated by defendant Alexandre Ramagem, with the assistance of third parties." This has led to heightened security measures to prevent further flight attempts and ensure compliance with justice proceedings.
These developments continue to unfold amid the broader context of Brazilian political turbulence linked to the January 8 coup plot. While most convicted remain under stringent house arrests, the search for fugitives like Carlos Rocha remains ongoing, underscoring the ongoing challenges in enforcing judicial orders against this network.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
