Bolsonaro and 36 Others Accused of Coup and Assassination Plot Against Lula in Federal Police Report

Nov 26, 2024, 07:27 PM

The Brazilian Federal Police have filed charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking military officers and former ministers, for orchestrating a coup d'état against President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva following the 2022 elections. The 884-page report alleges that Bolsonaro planned, acted, and had effective control over actions taken by an organized group aiming to prevent Lula's inauguration, and that he could face up to 28 years in prison if convicted. The report indicates that the group operated in six distinct "nuclei" or cells, each with specific roles in the alleged coup plot. The former Defense Minister and ex-Army General Walter Braga Netto is implicated in two of these nuclei, with evidence suggesting he pressured military commanders, including General Marco Antônio Freire Gomes, to support a coup. The former Commander of the Navy, Admiral Almir Garnier, is reported to have adhered to the plan. Additionally, the report includes allegations that Bolsonaro had "full knowledge" of a plan to assassinate President Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, possibly through poisoning. Mauro Cid, Bolsonaro's former aide-de-camp, is identified as a key operator who updated Bolsonaro on the coup plans. Minister Alexandre de Moraes of the Supreme Federal Court has lifted the confidentiality of the 884-page Federal Police report and forwarded it to the Attorney General's Office (PGR) for further action. The PGR will now decide whether to file formal charges, request further investigation, or dismiss the case.