Federal police in Brazil have indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others for allegedly attempting a coup d’état to prevent the transfer of power following his 2022 election defeat.
These indictments were submitted to Brazil’s Supreme Court, where Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet will decide whether to proceed with the case or dismiss the charges.
Bolsonaro, a right-wing politician, maintains his innocence, refuting accusations of attempting to cling to power after losing to leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Following his electoral loss, Bolsonaro spearheaded a campaign alleging election fraud and undermining the Brazilian government.
One week after Lula’s inauguration, Bolsonaro’s supporters stormed and vandalized the Supreme Court, Congress, and presidential palace. Hundreds of these individuals face potential prosecution.
Since his defeat, Bolsonaro has faced numerous legal challenges.
In June 2023, electoral judges imposed an eight-year ban on Bolsonaro from holding public office, citing his attacks on democratic institutions and his contribution to political instability. This decision was reached by a four to three vote in the Superior Electoral Court.
In July, Brazilian federal police indicted Bolsonaro for corruption and criminal association related to allegedly receiving diamonds from Saudi Arabia during his presidency.
This was his second criminal indictment; in March, he was charged with falsifying COVID-19 vaccination records for himself and others. Bolsonaro denies all wrongdoing in both cases.
On Tuesday, authorities apprehended four military personnel and a federal police officer suspected of plotting a coup, allegedly aiming to overthrow the government, and assassinate Lula and other high-ranking officials post-2022 election.
Digital’s Timothy H.J. Nerozzi and Kyle Schmidbauer, along with The Associated Press, contributed to this report.