Brazil’s Federal Police have officially accused former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 associates of orchestrating a coup to maintain his hold on power. This allegation, unveiled in an extensive 884-page report, outlines a structured plan supported by various pieces of evidence and witness statements.
The alleged scheme involved creating distrust in Brazil’s electoral process, drafting a legal-looking decree to legitimize their actions, persuading senior military officials to back the plan, and inciting a riot in the national capital.
Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet is set to determine the next steps, whether that involves pressing formal charges, dismissing the case, or seeking further testimony to clarify individual involvement in the purported conspiracy. Bolsonaro and his key supporters refute any wrongdoing, arguing instead that they are victims of political oppression.
The conspiracies reportedly began as early as 2019, with police claiming that Bolsonaro’s administration systematically distributed misinformation regarding the integrity of Brazil’s electronic voting systems, especially intensified as his 2022 reelection campaign approached. This misinformation campaign involved a network of so-called “digital militias,” which utilized thousands of social media accounts to promote the narrative of potential electoral fraud and to bolster support among Bolsonaro’s followers, some of whom assembled outside military facilities to pressure the armed forces.
In an unusual move, Bolsonaro convened a meeting with numerous diplomats at the presidential palace three months prior to the election, where he pointed out purported vulnerabilities in the electoral process without providing any substantiating evidence. Following his defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022, Bolsonaro’s political party raised concerns about the election’s credibility, but the electoral court dismissed these allegations rapidly.
A draft decree discovered during a police search of former Justice Minister Anderson Torres’s residence indicated plans that sought to establish a committee to investigate the alleged fraud in the election. Bolsonaro reportedly aimed to use the decree to suspend the powers of the nation’s electoral court and possibly call for new elections. While some military leaders showed willingness to support his plan, others voiced opposition, ultimately leading to the proposal’s collapse.
Legal experts deem the evidence implicating Bolsonaro in the coup attempt as significant, especially due to his presentation of the decree to military commanders. This behavior is seen as an illegal attempt to interfere with the electoral process, asserting that only the electoral prosecutors’ office and court hold power over such matters.
During an interview, Bolsonaro argued that discussions he had with military personnel regarding emergency measures were constitutional and innocent. He dismissed accusations of plotting a coup as outrageous and firmly denied any involvement in such discussions.
Additionally, Brazilian authorities have reported the arrest of several individuals including army officers, who were allegedly involved in a plot to assassinate Lula, his vice-president-elect, and a Supreme Court justice. This assassination conspiracy purportedly aimed to leave Bolsonaro’s electoral ticket unopposed in the 2022 runoff. The retired general who had served as Bolsonaro’s running mate was identified as an alleged orchestrator of the assassination scheme but has also denied any engagement in a coup.
On January 8, 2023, the Federal Police connected Bolsonaro to the violent uprising in which his supporters stormed key government buildings in Brasília. This riot was interpreted as an effort to instigate a military coup to prevent Lula’s presidency. The report denoted the uprising as part of a series of actions encouraging military intervention.
The ongoing legal proceedings will likely scrutinize the links between the riot and broader coup ambitions, with some experts pointing to the weak evidence connecting the two. As investigations continue, Bolsonaro had already fled to the United States just before Lula’s inauguration, remaining there for several months, potentially avoiding implications related to the coup conspiracy.