RIO DE JANEIRO: Defence lawyers for former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro formally requested his acquittal during closing arguments at the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
The 197-page legal document submitted to justices declared Bolsonaro innocent of all charges related to alleged coup attempts.
His legal team emphasised what they called an absolute lack of evidence presented during the trial that began last May.
Bolsonaro and seven associates face accusations of conspiring to retain power after his 2022 election loss to current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The case stems partly from the January 2023 storming of government buildings by Bolsonaro supporters who alleged election fraud.
The former leader has repeatedly denied involvement, calling coup attempts abhorrent during months of maintaining his innocence.
A guilty verdict could result in 40 years imprisonment for the 2019-2022 president.
This follows Bolsonaro’s recent house arrest for violating social media restrictions about discussing the case publicly. – AFP
