Brazilian police say 5 officers arrested in alleged coup, assassination plot

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES SAY THEY HAVE ARRESTED FOUR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND ONE POLICE OFFICER OVER AN ALLEGED PLOT TO OVERTHROW BRAZIL’S GOVERNMENT AND ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT LUIZ [LUE-WEES] INACIO [IN-AY-SEE-EW] LULA [LOOH-LAH] DA [DAH] SILVA AFTER THE 2022 ELECTION.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE FIVE, WHICH INCLUDE MILITARY OFFICIALS TRAINED IN BRAZIL’S SPECIAL FORCES AND A RETIRED SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL, ALSO PLANNED TO KILL THE VICE PRESIDENT AND A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.

AUTHORITIES SEIZED THE SUSPECT’S PASSPORTS AND ARE RESTRICTING WHO THE FIVE CAN MAKE CONTACT WITH. 

THE JUDGE WHO ORDERED THE OPERATION THAT LED TO THE ARRESTS BELIEVED THE GOAL BEHIND THEIR PLOT WAS TO “UNDERMINE THE FREE EXERCISE OF DEMOCRACY AND AUTHORITY OF BRAZIL’S JUDICIARY.”

THE ARRESTS TUESDAY COME AFTER TWO TOP BRAZILIAN MILITARY LEADERS ALLEGED EARLIER THIS YEAR FORMER PRESIDENT JAIR [JIE-EAR] BOLSONARO [BOHL-SIN-AR-O] PLOTTED TO STAY IN POWER AFTER HE LOST THE 2022 ELECTION.

BOTH REPORTEDLY REFUSED HIS REQUEST AND WARNED HIM THEY WOULD ARREST HIM IF HE ATTEMPTED TO GO FORWARD WITH THE PLAN.

PROSECUTORS HAVE CLAIMED THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS CONNECTED TO RIOTS IN JANUARY IN THE COUNTRY’S CAPITAL ONE WEEK AFTER LULA’S INAUGRATION.

AFTER HIS SUPPORTERS STORMED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

PRESIDENT LULA [LOOH-LAH] HAS NOT YET COMMENTED ON THE ARRESTS AS HE WAS BUSY HOSTING THE FINAL DAY OF THE G-20 SUMMIT IN RIO DE JANEIRO AND MEETING WITH WORLD LEADERS INCLUDING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.