Moraes Gives Malafaia 15 Days to Answer PGR Case Over Insults to Army Chief

Overview

• Supreme Court minister Alexandre de Moraes set a 15‑day deadline for pastor Silas Malafaia to present a defense in a criminal action for calumny and insult against Army commander Gen. Tomás Paiva.
• Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet filed the complaint on Dec. 18 after a representation from Paiva over alleged offenses directed at the Army’s High Command.
• At a Bolsonaro‑organized rally on Avenida Paulista in April 2025, Malafaia called four‑star generals a “bunch of cowards,” “weak,” and “omissive,” without naming individuals.
• The PGR argues Malafaia falsely imputed the crime of prevarication to generals and underscores that his remarks were broadly disseminated online, with posts exceeding 300,000 views.
• Malafaia denies targeting Paiva, frames his remarks as protected opinion, alleges political persecution, and asks that the case be heard in a first‑instance court rather than the Supreme Court.