Moraes withdraws secrecy of messages found on Mauro Cid’s cell phone

The Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Alexandre de Moraes decided this Friday (16) to withdraw the secrecy of messages seized by the Federal Police (PF) on the cell phone of Army Colonel Mauro Cid, former assistant to Jair Bolsonaro. The measure was taken after Veja magazine published the conversations. According to an investigation report by the Federal Police, the messages show that Cid gathered documents to provide legal support for the execution of a coup d’état. “The investigated person compiled studies dealing with the performance of the Armed Forces to guarantee the Constitutional Powers and GLO. The documents deal with the possibility of using the Armed Forces, on an exceptional basis, to ensure the independent and harmonious functioning of the Powers of the Union, through determination of the President of the Republic”, says the report. The messages show that Cid shared a document with instructions for declaring a State of Siege in the face of “unconstitutional decisions of the STF”. The PF also identified that another former Bolsonaro aide, Luis Marcos dos Reis, attended the camp set up last year in front of the Army barracks in Brasília. In addition, according to investigations, he participated in the coup acts on January 8. “The constant videos on his cell phone proved the participation of Luis Marcos dos Reis in the attempted coup d’état and violent abolition of the Democratic State of Law that took place on January 8, 2023”, concluded the document. The documents also show a conversation between Mauro Cid and Army Colonel Jean Lawand, on December 1st of last year. “Cidão, for the love of God, do something. Convince him to do it. He can’t back down now. He has nothing to lose. He will be arrested. The president [Bolsonaro] will be arrested, And, worse, in Papuda “, wrote Lawand. Then, Cid replied: “But, the PR cannot give an order if he does not trust the ACE [Alto Comando do Exército]”. Cid has been arrested since May 3 by order of Moraes on the charge of defrauding Bolsonaro’s vaccination card and that of his family members. During investigations into the case, the PF also found the messages released by the minister. Mauro’s defense Cid told Agência Brasil that “defensive demonstrations” will only be made in the ongoing process at the STF.The report also contacted the Army command and is awaiting a response.

Agência Brasil