Brazil’s Bolsonaro and his aides face charges over alleged 2022 coup attempt

Brazil’s federal police announced Thursday an indictment of former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others on charges of plotting a coup to retain power after his defeat in the 2022 elections.

Police said their findings were submitted Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which must decide whether to forward them to Attorney General Paulo Gona, who will either formally charge Bolsonaro and put him on trial or drop the investigation.

The right-wing former president has denied any claims that he was trying to stay in office following his narrow 2022 election defeat by his rival, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Since then, Bolsonaro has faced a number of legal threats.

After the indictment, Bolsonaro vowed to launch a legal “fight.”

“The fight starts at the Attorney General’s Office,” he wrote on his social media page X. He accused the Supreme Court judge hearing the case of exceeding the law.

In a brief statement, police said the Supreme Court had agreed to release the names of all 37 people charged “to avoid the spread of false news.” Supreme Court Judge Alexander de Moraes said reviewing the 700-page police document would likely take several days.

Dozens of former and current Bolsonaro aides have also been indicted, including General Walter Brahe Netto, who was his running mate in the 2022 election campaign; former army commander General Paulo Sergio Nogueira de Oliveira; Waldemar Costa Neto, chairman of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party; and his veteran former adviser, General Augusto Heleno.

The investigation began last year. On Tuesday, four military officers and one federal police agent were arrested as part of the same investigation.

Other investigations are focusing on Bolosnaro’s potential role in smuggling diamond jewelry into Brazil without properly declaring it, and in instructing a subordinate to falsify the COVID-19 vaccination status of himself and others. Bolsonaro denies any involvement in these events.

Another investigation found he abused his powers to cast doubt on the country’s voting system, and judges banned him from running again until 2030.

The far-reaching investigations have weakened Bolsonaro’s status as Brazil’s right-wing leader, said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo.

“Bolsonaro is already banned from participating in the 2026 elections,” Melo told The Associated Press (AP).

“And if he is found guilty, he could also be sent to prison by then. To avoid jail, he will have to convince Supreme Court judges that he has nothing to do with the conspiracy, which involves dozens of his associates. This is a very difficult task. “Melo said.

On Tuesday, federal police arrested four soldiers and a federal police officer accused of plotting to overthrow the government after the 2022 elections, including alleged plans to assassinate Lula and other senior officials.

Brazil’s Bolsonaro and his aides face charges over alleged 2022 coup attempt

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