Overview
- Brazil's federal public defender filed a preliminary defense on October 31 asking the Supreme Court to reject the Prosecutor-General's complaint against the congressman.
- The defense says Eduardo Bolsonaro's public statements were political speech and did not involve violence or grave threat required by the coercion statute.
- It argues he has no authority over United States foreign policy or power to impose or lift U.S. sanctions.
- The submission seeks nullity because the alleged conduct targeted the case's rapporteur, Minister Alexandre de Moraes, and challenges service by public notice after Moraes denied a request for a letter rogatory.
- The DPU assumed the case after the deputy failed to hire counsel and reported it could not contact him, while the matter remains pending at the STF as he stays in the United States.