On Wednesday Jan. 8, Brazil marked two years since the attempted coup against democracy. The memory of the attacks, which damaged both the physical and cultural heritage of the Three Powers, was honored through the restoration of destroyed artworks and a symbolic embrace of democracy, with the participation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
In a ceremony at the presidential palace, 21 works of art were officially returned to the Brazilian presidential collection. Among the items restored were an 18th-century pendulum clock and a painting by the renowned artist Di Cavalcante. “Preserving this legacy, which unites culture, history, and democracy, is everyone’s responsibility,” stated First Lady Janja da Silva during the ceremony.
“Memory is one of the most important pillars of our identity as Brazilians. Preserving it is not only a tribute to the past but also a commitment to the future,” she said. “The restoration of the palace’s artworks is part of our collective effort to strengthen democracy. They couldn’t extinguish freedom or destroy beauty. In defiance of the violence and remnants of authoritarianism, we are bringing forth the vibrancy of our culture and the joy of our people,” Janja da Silva added.
Brazil’s Supreme Court convicts 371 for January 8 attacks
Over the past two years, Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court has convicted 371 of the more than 2,000 individuals investigated for their involvement in the January 8, 2023, attacks. The update was released on Tuesday (Jan. 7) by Justice Alexandre de Moraes’ office, the rapporteur for the cases. To date, 225 of the convicts have been classified as having committed serious crimes.
The defendants’ sentences range from 3 to 17.5 years in prison. On January 8, 2023, 2,172 individuals were arrested in connection with the attacks on the Three Powers Square in Brasília.
The convictions encompass five crimes: attempting to abolish the democratic rule of law, coup attempt, aggravated damage, criminal association, and destruction of public property.
Incitement and criminal association were deemed lesser offenses. In these cases, 146 individuals were convicted but not imprisoned. Instead, they must wear electronic anklets for a year, pay fines, complete 225 hours of community service, and attend an in-person course on democracy.
These individuals are prohibited from using social media during this period and from traveling, even within Brazil, without judicial authorization.
Fugitives
At least 122 people are considered fugitives, with extradition requests made for 61 of them to other countries.
In this case, individuals monitored by electronic anklets damaged the devices and fled Brazil. Once extradited, they will serve their sentences in a closed regime.
Agreement
A total of 898 defendants were held responsible, with 527 involved in less serious actions. These individuals reached agreements with the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, paying fines totaling BRL 1.7 million. They were also required to complete 150 hours of community service, attend a course on the functioning of democracy offered by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, and refrain from maintaining profiles on public social media during the agreement period.
Source: Agência Brasil