Brazil's Federal Police accuse ex-President Bolsonaro of attempted coup after 2022 election

Brazil's Federal Police filed charges Thursday against ex-president Jair Bolsonaro for an alleged "coup attempt" aimed at stopping the inauguration of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva after the 2022 elections. The indictment, which extends to 36 other people, including military and former high-ranking officials, has generated divided reactions, while Bolsonaro and his allies denounce the political persecution.

An unprecedented accusation

The report submitted by the Federal Police to the Supreme Court, accuses the former president and his entourage of "violent abolition of the democratic rule of law," "coup d'état" and "illicit association." Among those accused are prominent figures such as Walter Braga Netto, former minister and Bolsonaro's running mate in the 2022 elections, and Almir Garnier Santos, former Navy commander.

Authorities claim that there was alleged plot to keep Bolsonaro in power after the 2022 elections, which he narrowly lost to Lula. However, the former president has strongly denied these accusations, calling them unfounded and attributing them to an attempt to discredit his legacy and supporters.

The police document will be forwarded to Attorney General Paulo Gonet, who will evaluate the accusations brought against former president Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others. Gonet will have to decide whether to endorse the findings of the investigation to move forward with a trial or, on the contrary, opt to archive the case and dismiss the allegations.

Assassination plots under scrutiny

Authorities also arrested four military personnel and a federal police officer accused of planning assassinations against President Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Federal Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Although one of those arrested, General Mario Fernandes, has been linked to those investigated in the Federal Police report, the evidence on this alleged assassination plot has not been presented publicly in its entirety.

A context marked by discord

After the 2022 elections, Brazil experienced strong social tensions, with demonstrations and protests by citizens demanding electoral audits. Notable episodes included road blockades by truck drivers and encampments in front of military barracks.

On January 8, 2023, a week after Lula's inauguration, there was an episode of vandalism at the headquarters of Congress, the Presidency and the Supreme Court in Brasília. Although Bolsonaro publicly condemned the violent acts, his opponents are trying to link him to them, arguing that they are part of an alleged strategy to destabilize the government.