Brazilian Federal Police link Bolsonaro to 2022 coup attempt in unsealed report

[Lauren Taylor]

FORMER BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO HAS BEEN FORMALLY ACCUSED OF PLANNING AND PARTICIPATING IN A COUP ATTEMPT TO OVERTURN THE 2022 ELECTION RESULTS. A NEWLY UNSEALED FEDERAL POLICE REPORT LAYS OUT EVIDENCE POINTING TO BOLSONARO’S DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN PLOTTING TO REMAIN IN POWER AFTER HIS DEFEAT TO PRESIDENT-ELECT LULA DA SILVA.  

THE NEARLY 900-PAGE REPORT, SENT TO BRAZIL’S SUPREME COURT IN NOVEMBER AND UNSEALED TUESDAY, REVEALS THAT BOLSONARO NOT ONLY PLANNED THE COUP BUT ACTIVELY DIRECTED AND EXECUTED KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PLOT. INVESTIGATORS USED SEARCH WARRANTS, WIRETAPS, FINANCIAL RECORDS, AND TESTIMONY TO PIECE TOGETHER THE CONSPIRACY, WHICH ALLEGEDLY BEGAN AS EARLY AS 2019.  

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, BOLSONARO… ALLEGING FRAUD FROM THE COUNTRY’S ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMS… HELD A PIVOTAL MEETING IN DECEMBER 2022 WITH TOP MILITARY COMMANDERS, WHERE HE PRESENTED A DRAFT DECREE TO SUSPEND THE NATION’S ELECTORAL COURT AND INVESTIGATE BASELESS CLAIMS OF ELECTION FRAUD. WHILE THE NAVY COMMANDER REPORTEDLY SUPPORTED THE PLAN, THE ARMY AND AIR FORCE COMMANDERS REFUSED, PREVENTING THE COUP FROM PROCEEDING.  

THE REPORT ALSO ALLEGES BOLSONARO LEFT FOR THE UNITED STATES DAYS BEFORE LULA’S INAUGURATION IN JANUARY 2023, TO AVOID POTENTIAL IMPRISONMENT FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN A COUP PLOT. HE REMAINED IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THREE MONTHS, ALLEGEDLY AWAITING THE UPRISING THAT OCCURRED A WEEK AFTER LULA’S SWEARING IN.

BOLSONARO DENIED ANY WRONGDOING, CALLING THE ACCUSATIONS “ABSURD” AND CLAIMING THE WORD “COUP” HAS NEVER BEEN IN HIS DICTIONARY. HOWEVER, POLICE ALSO ALLEGE THAT BOLSONARO WAS AWARE OF A PLOT TO ASSASSINATE LULA AND HIS VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT, GERALDO ALCKMIN.

SINCE LEAVING OFFICE, BOLSONARO HAS FACED MOUNTING LEGAL TROUBLES, INCLUDING ACCUSATIONS OF FALSIFYING COVID-19 VACCINATION RECORDS, SMUGGLING UNDECLARED DIAMOND JEWELRY, AND INCITING THE JANUARY 8TH RIOTS IN BRASILIA, WHERE HIS SUPPORTERS STORMED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN A BID TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION.  

IF CONVICTED ON CHARGES OF STAGING A COUP, VIOLENT ELIMINATION OF THE RULE OF LAW, AND FORMING A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION… BOLSONARO COULD FACE A PRISON SENTENCE OF 15 YEARS OR MORE.  

THE CASE NOW RESTS WITH BRAZIL’S PROSECUTOR-GENERAL, WHO MUST DECIDE WHETHER TO FORMALLY INDICT BOLSONARO AND HIS 36 ALLEGED CO-CONSPIRATORS.  

BOLSONARO HAS ALREADY BEEN BARRED FROM RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE UNTIL 2030, BUT INSISTS HE WILL RETURN TO THE POLITICAL STAGE IN 2026. FOR NOW, HIS POLITICAL AND LEGAL FUTURE HANGS IN THE BALANCE. 

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS… I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

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