The Federal District Police asked the Supreme Federal Court for permission to interview former President Jair Bolsonaro regarding a seized firearm [1].
The request seeks to clarify the legal status of a weapon registered to the former president that was discovered during a police operation. Because the firearm lacked the required registration certificate, investigators are examining whether Bolsonaro engaged in illegal possession of a weapon [2].
On June 17, 2024, the Polícia Civil do Distrito Federal (PCDF) filed the request with Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes [1]. The police said they are seeking authorization to conduct the interview via video [3].
The investigation centers on a 9mm pistol [4]. Authorities seized the weapon during a traffic blitz in Taguatinga, a region within the Federal District [5].
Under Brazilian law, the possession of a firearm without the proper documentation can lead to criminal charges. The PCDF said it is now attempting to determine how the weapon ended up in the traffic stop, and why the necessary certification was missing [2].
The request is currently pending a decision from Minister Moraes, who oversees several high-profile inquiries involving the former president [3]. If approved, the video testimony would allow investigators to question Bolsonaro directly about the ownership, and movement, of the 9mm pistol [4].
“The PCDF asked Minister Alexandre de Moraes for STF authorization to hear Bolsonaro”
This legal request adds another layer of judicial scrutiny to Jair Bolsonaro's legal standing. By focusing on the technical lack of a registration certificate for a weapon in his name, the PCDF is pursuing a concrete regulatory violation that could potentially lead to charges of illegal possession, independent of the broader political inquiries currently handled by the Supreme Federal Court.
