On Wednesday, January 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 artworks were officially returned to the Brazilian presidential collection. Among the restored items were an 18th-century pendulum clock and a painting by renowned artist Di Cavalcante. “Preserving this legacy, which unites culture, history, and democracy, is everyone’s responsibility,” said 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 just 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 could not extinguish freedom nor destroy beauty. In defiance of violence and the remnants of authoritarianism, we are bringing forth the vitality of our culture and the joy of our people,” Janja da Silva added.Federal Supreme Court Convicts 371 for the Events of January 8
In the past two years, the Federal Supreme Court has convicted 371 of more than 2,000 individuals investigated for involvement in the attacks of January 8, 2023. The update was released on Tuesday (January 7) by the office of Minister Alexandre de Moraes, the rapporteur for the cases. So far, 225 of the convicted have been classified as perpetrators of serious crimes.
The sentences for the defendants range from 3 to 17.5 years in prison. On January 8, 2023, 2,172 people were arrested in connection with the attacks on the Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília.
The convictions cover five crimes: attempted abolition of the Democratic Rule of Law, attempted coup, qualified damage, criminal association, and destruction of public property.
Incitement and criminal association were considered lesser crimes. In these cases, 146 individuals were convicted but not imprisoned. Instead, they must wear electronic ankle bracelets for one 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 in other countries.
In this case, individuals monitored by electronic ankle bracelets damaged the devices and fled Brazil. Once extradited, they will serve their sentences in closed regime.Agreement
In total, 898 defendants have been held accountable, with 527 involved in less serious actions. These individuals entered into agreements with the Federal Public Ministry, paying fines totaling R$ 1.7 million. They were also required to complete 150 hours of community service, participate in a course on the functioning of democracy offered by the Federal Public Ministry, and refrain from maintaining profiles on public social media during the agreement period.Source: Agência Brasil