Brazil Police Recommend Charges Against Ex-President Bolsonaro in Coup Probe
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s federal police recommended criminal charges against Jair Bolsonaro after probing an alleged coup attempt following his 2022 election loss, the first time authorities have directly linked the right-wing former president to attempts to keep his successor from assuming power.
Most Read from Bloomberg
NYC's Underground Steam System May Be Key to a Greener Future
Trump Promises Could Have Seismic Impact on Washington Economy
NYC Gets Historic Push for 80,000 Homes With $5 Billion Pledge
Tokyo’s Scorching Summers Focus Public Anger Against Tree Cutting
NYC Mayor Adams Names Jessica Tisch to Lead Police Head Amid Probes
Charges are warranted against a total of 37 people, including Bolsonaro and high-ranking military members who served in his government, for plotting a coup and committing crimes against democracy, the federal police said in a Thursday statement.
The recommendations came at the conclusion of an investigation into the insurrection attempt that took place on Jan. 8, 2023, when thousands of the former leader’s supporters stormed the country’s capital after Bolsonaro’s narrow loss to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the October 2022 election.
Authorities have also determined that Bolsonaro had full knowledge of a plot to assassinate Lula, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes in the wake of the election, CNN Brasil and other outlets reported Thursday, citing unidentified officials.
The recommendation will be sent to Brazil’s prosecutor general’s office to decide whether to file charges, request additional information or close the case, and threatens to deepen the legal woes facing the right-wing former leader.
The former president told local news outlet Metropoles that he needed to wait and see what information is included in the police filing, and that his real legal battle begins at the prosecutor general’s office. He also renewed his criticism of Moraes, who he has accused of overstepping legal bounds. Bolsonaro has previously denied wrongdoing related to the riots.
Federal police previously recommended charges against Bolsonaro in another case involving the alleged illegal sale of gifts received from the governments of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Charges were also recommended against him in an inquiry into falsified vaccination records. The former president has also denied wrongdoing in those cases.
Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet intends to unite the three recommendations into a single complaint, according to a person familiar with the situation who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters. By combining the three investigations, the complaint would be stronger, the person said. There is no deadline for the complaint to be filed.
Last year, a congressional committee accused Bolsonaro of serving as the “author” of the attempt to overturn Lula’s victory, and reported that its investigation had found that top members of his government and senior military officers contributed to the riots.
Multiple retired generals who served in Bolsonaro’s government, including former Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto and Augusto Heleno, are among the officials included on the list of 37 people. So is Valdemar Costa Neto, the head of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party. Spokespersons for Braga Netto, Heleno and Costa Neto did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In June 2023, the country’s electoral court barred Bolsonaro from seeking or holding public office until 2030 over his spreading of false claims about Brazil’s voting system during the election. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing in that instance as well.
The federal police arrested five people on Tuesday, mainly military personnel, for allegedly plotting to kill Lula, Alckmin and Moraes in 2022, after the leftist leader’s election victory.
The suspects intended to prevent Lula from taking office and monitored their targets’ movements, considering methods such as poison, chemicals, and explosives to carry out the murders. The conspirators began tracking their apparent targets after a meeting at the home of Braga Netto, who was Bolsonaro’s running mate that year, police said after the arrests.
Brazilian authorities have also probed explosions that took place outside the Supreme Court last week. One man died after attempting to enter the court building with explosives strapped to his body, according to investigations.
(Updates with official confirmation, Bolsonaro response and additional details throughout.)
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
What Happens When US Hospitals Go Big on Nurse Practitioners
An Airline’s Florida Resort Dreams Look More Like a Nightmare
©2024 Bloomberg L.P.
