Brazil’s Supreme Court on Friday added an extra day to next week’s hearings to decide whether former President Jair Bolsonaro and seven close allies are guilty of attempting a coup, court officials said.
Justices had initially scheduled sessions for Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, but Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, requested an additional day. Court chairman Cristiano Zanin granted the request, and the court said proceedings will now also be held on Thursday.
Bolsonaro is accused of leading a plot for a military takeover that would have allowed him to remain in power despite his defeat in the October 2022 presidential election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The former president has denied wrongdoing and has characterized investigations and charges against him as a "witch hunt" aimed at removing him from the political arena.
Seven other close allies are being tried alongside Bolsonaro. Among them is Walter Braga Netto, who served as Bolsonaro’s running mate. Justice de Moraes, the magistrate supervising the case, set the expanded schedule to allow additional time for arguments and deliberations, the court said in a statement.
The move to add a day underscores the high-profile and complex nature of the proceedings, which have drawn intense national and international attention since the allegations emerged. Prosecutors say the defendants orchestrated or supported efforts to subvert Brazil’s democratic transition after the 2022 election; the defendants dispute those characterizations and have challenged elements of the case in court.
Legal analysts have said the case could have significant political and legal repercussions, though the court statement announcing the extra day gave no timetable for a verdict. The Supreme Court has broad authority to adjudicate crimes against the democratic order, and the trial is being closely watched for its potential to shape Brazil’s political landscape.
The sessions next week will be held under the direction of Justice de Moraes. Court officials did not immediately provide a schedule for how arguments will be divided among days beyond confirming that hearings will occur Tuesday through Friday. The expanded calendar may allow more time for questioning witnesses and for attorneys to present their cases as the court moves toward a decision.