Martins is one of ten people convicted of the attempted coup and subject to a house arrest warrant.
Minister Alexandre de Moraes, Federal Court (STF), This Saturday 27, house arrest decreed of Philippe Martinsformer advisor to former President Jair Bolsonaro (PL). The decision comes the day after the attempted escape of the former director of the Federal Highway Police (PRF), Silvinei Vasques.
Martins is a so-called “core 2” defendant, accused of having “operationalized” the coup attempt, and was sentenced by the STF on December 16 to 21 years and 6 months in prison for five crimes.
The former Bolsonaro advisor is 38 years old and comes from Sorocaba (SP). On his LinkedIn profile, he claims to have a degree in international relations from the University of Brasilia (UnB) and to have studied diplomacy and defense at the Escola Superior de Guerra, which is part of the structure of the Ministry of Defense.
The São Paulo native assumed the role of Special Advisor for International Affairs to the Presidency of the Republic in 2019, at the start of the Bolsonaro government, after working with then-Foreign Minister, Ernesto Araújoduring the transitional government.
Martins says he worked as an interpreter and translator before becoming an international advisor to the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE). He also claims to have been an economic advisor at the American embassy. UNITED STATES in Brazil and teaching in a preparatory course for public exams.
He approached the Bolsonaro family in 2014during his meeting with the former federal deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro via the Internet. The “03?” of the former president became his political godfather. Martins also declares himself an enthusiast of Olavo de Carvalhointellectual mentor of Bolsonarism.
The former adviser was identified as a member of the “hate office,” a group accused of using social media to spread disinformation against Bolsonaro’s opponents. Since 2022, he has no longer updated his Instagram profile, where he still presents himself as a special advisor.
Investigation for supremacist act
In March 2021, Martins was accused of taking an action identical to that used by white supremacists inside the Senate, which resulted in the opening of a criminal case for racism. After the fallout, he said he was adjusting the lapel of his suit.
THE Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) requested the conviction of the former advisor, considering that the sign sought to reproduce an acronym formed by the letters “W” and “P”, in reference to the racist expression White power (“White Power”, in English).
Martins was acquitted at first instancebut the MPF appealed. In November 2023, the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region annulled the acquittaland the former advisor was once again investigated for alleged support of the supremacist movement. In December 2024, he was convicted by the Federal Court of Brasilia for racism.. The sentence was set at two years and four months in prison, converted to community service, in addition to fines totaling R$52,000. At the time, Martins’ defense claimed the decision was based on “political conjecture.”
Coup plot
“Core 2” of the coup plot, of which Martins is one of the accused, is accused of having “operationalized” the coup attempt, according to the complaint from the attorney general’s office (RPG). Members of this group were accused of providing legal, operational and intelligence support for the plan, including the preparation of the so-called “coup d’état plan”, a draft document that envisaged the imposition of a state of exception in the country.
According to the prosecution, Martins had prepared one of the versions of the project, which his defense disputes.
Between February and August 2024, he remained in pre-trial detention. He was released after following precautionary measures. In December this year, the first committee tried “core 2” and convicted Martins and four other defendantsamong whom was also Silvinei Vasques.
Moraes calls for house arrest of convicts after Silvinei’s escape
Besides Martins, the Federal police (PF) also fulfills warrants for house arrest, with use of an electronic ankle bracelet, against nine others convicted of the coup plot.
According to the PF, the arrest warrants are being executed in the states of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Espírito Santo, Paraná, Goiás, Bahia, Tocantins and in the Federal District. Still according to the PF, the Brazilian army is participating in the investigations.
Attorney Jeffrey Chiquini, who represents Martins, confirmed in a social media post that the PF executed arrest warrants at the former councilor’s home this Saturday morning.
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