Brazilian federal police have released an 884-page report implicating former President Jair Bolsonaro in an alleged criminal organization aimed at overturning the 2022 presidential election, won by his leftist challenger, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The report outlines evidence, including a meeting with armed forces to plan a coup. The report was sent to top prosecutor Paulo Gonet, who will decide on charges. Bolsonaro and 36 others were accused of conspiring to retain power, leading to legal woes for the former president. Bolsonaro denied claims and his baseless election accuracy claims led to a ban on holding office until 2030.
The 2022 election ended in a run-off with Lula winning. Bolsonaro did not concede defeat and tensions rose with his supporters protesting. Leaked audio recordings showed involvement of high-ranking military officers in keeping Bolsonaro in power. The recordings featured Colonel Roberto Raimundo Criscuoli and retired Brigadier General Mario Fernandes discussing civil war as an option. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes quoted the recordings in a ruling ordering arrests of five people for plotting the assassination of Lula.
Bolsonaro dismissed the police accusations as creativity, not fact, and vowed to fight them with his lawyers. The accusations come amid growing scrutiny on Bolsonaro’s actions surrounding the election and his efforts to remain in power. The police report and leaked recordings shed light on the alleged conspiracy to undermine Brazil’s democratic rule of law and establish a military dictatorship. The situation remains tense as the investigation unfolds and Bolsonaro faces mounting legal challenges.
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