A recent report by the Brazilian federal police implicates former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro in an alleged criminal organization aimed at overturning the 2022 presidential election, which was won by his leftist opponent and current President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
The report, spanning 884 pages and made public on Tuesday, details eight pieces of evidence linking Bolsonaro to the organization, including a meeting with members of Brazil’s armed forces to plan the coup.
According to the report, Bolsonaro was directly involved in planning and executing actions of the criminal organization to stage a coup and undermine the country’s democratic rule.
Prior to the report’s release, it was sent to Brazil’s top prosecutor, Paulo Gonet, who has yet to decide on potential charges against Bolsonaro.
The accusations in the report follow previous claims that Bolsonaro and 36 others conspired to retain power, even in the event of electoral defeat.
These latest police accusations add to Bolsonaro’s legal troubles, as he continues to deny any wrongdoing related to the election.
A tense election
Leading up to the election, Bolsonaro spread false claims about the trustworthiness of Brazil’s electronic voting machines, setting the stage for a contested election before any votes were cast.
The close race resulted in Lula winning by a slim margin, leading to protests and unrest from Bolsonaro’s supporters who refused to accept the results.
Tensions escalated with supporters storming government buildings and sparking fears of a military intervention to remove Lula from power.
Leaked recordings
Leaked audio recordings reveal high-ranking military officers discussing ways to keep Bolsonaro in power, even after the election results favored Lula.
In the recordings, officers discuss the possibility of civil unrest and civil war as a means to challenge the election results and maintain Bolsonaro’s position.
These recordings were presented as evidence in a recent ruling ordering the arrest of individuals who were plotting against President-elect Lula.
Bolsonaro has dismissed these accusations as baseless and stated that his legal team will address and challenge the allegations made against him.
