Brazilian Authorities Indict Jair Bolsonaro Over Alleged Coup Plot

Brazilian authorities have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro, accusing him of having «full knowledge» of a plot to assassinate his successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and overturn the results of the 2022 presidential election. This indictment is part of a broader investigation into the elections, where Bolsonaro’s reelection bid was unsuccessful, as reported by CNN Brasil.

The federal police in Brazil have charged 37 individuals, including Bolsonaro, highlighting a serious fallout from the 2022 presidential elections. The police allege that Bolsonaro was aware of a plan aimed at preventing Lula from assuming office after his electoral victory.

Earlier in the week, five individuals were arrested, including a former adviser to Bolsonaro, over these alleged plots. The coup plotters reportedly planned the assassination of Lula’s Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, as per the Supreme Court’s arrest order. This order, issued by Justice Moraes, sanctioned the preventative detention of the suspects, including retired General Mário Fernandes, a high-ranking official under Bolsonaro.

Bolsonaro’s supporters had previously rejected the 2022 election results, leading to riots in the capital, Brasília, on January 8, 2023. The investigation revealed that in December 2022, Bolsonaro allegedly met with senior military and defense officials to discuss a document containing the legal mechanisms to maintain his power.

The former president has persistently denied accusations of plotting a coup. His son, Flavio Bolsonaro, a Brazilian senator, commented on social media, suggesting that the suspects did not commit a criminal act, claiming that merely contemplating such actions is not a crime unless an attempt was interrupted.

This investigation is ongoing, with the Supreme Court expected to decide if the evidence gathered will lead to formal charges by Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet. If charged, Bolsonaro could face trial or potentially see the investigation dismissed. Notable figures, like General Walter Braga Netto, Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, and Valdemar Costa Neto, were also implicated.

Additional investigations are examining Bolsonaro’s potential involvement in undeclared jewelry imports and falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records, both of which he denies. Furthermore, he faces allegations of undermining the electoral system, resulting in a ban from running for office until 2030.