Express & Star

Brazilian police indict former president over alleged 2022 coup attempt

The former right-wing leader has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his electoral defeat.

By contributor By Associated Press Reporter
Published
Brazil Coup Plot
Former president Jair Bolsonaro (Andre Penner/AP)

Federal police in Brazil say they have indicted former president Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people on charges of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his defeat in the 2022 elections.

The findings were to be delivered on Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court to be referred to prosecutor-general Paulo Gonet, who will either agree with the charges and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation.

The former right-wing leader has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Brazil Coup Plot
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (Andre Penner/AP)

Mr Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.

Other investigations focus on his potential roles in smuggling diamond jewellery into Brazil without properly declaring them, and in directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ Covid-19 vaccination statuses.

Mr Bolsonaro has denied any involvement in either.

On Tuesday, the federal police arrested four military officers and a federal police officer accused of plotting a coup that included plans to overthrow the government following the 2022 elections and allegedly kill the president and other top officials.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.