SÃO PAULO — Authorities in Brazil have apprehended five law enforcement officers linked to a conspiracy aimed at toppling the government following the 2022 elections and assassinating President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, as reported by officials.

The investigation unearthed that the individuals involved in the coup had intentions not only to eliminate the president but also to assassinate Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. Local reports suggest that those arrested consist of four military personnel and one police officer.

Law enforcement confirmed the execution of five arrest warrants alongside three additional warrants for search and seizure. Furthermore, measures were taken to confiscate the suspects’ passports and restrict their ability to communicate with others involved in the plot.

Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who authorized these arrests, disclosed that the investigation indicated the involvement of military members trained in the Army’s Special Forces, including a retired high-ranking official.

“The aim was to obstruct the inauguration of the duly elected government and to undermine both democratic processes and the authority of Brazil’s judicial system,” remarked de Moraes in his judicial order.

These conspiratorial activities reportedly reached their zenith during November and December of 2022, signifying a larger movement to execute a coup d’état, he further noted.