Brazilian authorities arrested five officers Tuesday in connection with an alleged coup plot that included plans to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other top officials following the 2022 elections, marking a significant development in ongoing investigations into anti-democratic activities.
According to Brazilian media reports, the arrested individuals include four military officers and one police officer. The alleged conspirators also targeted Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for assassination, authorities said.
Justice de Moraes, who authorized the arrests, revealed that the investigation uncovered a sophisticated operation involving military personnel with Special Forces training and a retired high-ranking official. “The objective was to prevent the inauguration of the legitimately elected government and undermine the free exercise of democracy and the authority of Brazil’s judiciary,” de Moraes stated in his order.
The arrests coincide with recent revelations from two senior military leaders who told police that former President Jair Bolsonaro had presented them with a plan to retain power after losing the 2022 election. According to judicial documents released in March, both officers rejected the proposal and threatened to arrest Bolsonaro if he attempted to execute the plan.
As part of the operation, authorities executed three search and seizure warrants and implemented additional measures, including confiscating suspects’ passports and imposing communication restrictions between the accused.
These developments add to mounting legal challenges facing former President Bolsonaro as prosecutors investigate potential connections between the far-right leader and the January 8, 2023, riots that damaged government buildings in Brasilia one week after Lula’s inauguration.
“These actions, peaking between November and December 2022, were part of a broader plan to carry out a coup d’état,” de Moraes added in his order, highlighting the alleged plot’s timing during the crucial transition period following the presidential election.
An Associated Press story
