Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been charged in connection with an alleged coup attempt aimed at overturning the results of the 2022 election and preventing his opponent from assuming office. The charges were detailed in documents filed by prosecutors on Tuesday evening.
Bolsonaro is among 34 individuals facing accusations that include participation in an armed criminal organization, attempted violent abolition of democracy, and coup d’état. Prosecutors claim the conspiracy began in 2021, targeting public confidence in electronic voting machines.
In 2022, Bolsonaro reportedly met with ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to discuss accusations of electoral fraud, allegedly trying to prepare the international community for rejecting the election results. Despite a lack of evidence supporting claims of fraud, the defendants are accused of continuing their efforts to discredit Brazil’s electoral system.
The prosecutors allege that Bolsonaro even endorsed a plan that could involve assassinating elected President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his vice president. The last effort to challenge the election outcome occurred on January 8, 2023, when groups of Bolsonaro supporters, encouraged by defendants, stormed and vandalized government buildings in Brasília.
Bolsonaro and 36 others were indicted last November as part of the investigation into the alleged coup scheme. The charges have been presented to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which may lead to a high-profile trial. If accepted, the individuals charged will officially become defendants.
To ensure that the case does not affect Brazil’s 2026 presidential elections, Supreme Court justices aim to complete the trial by the end of 2025, though it’s unlikely that preliminary hearings will begin before early March.
The November indictment included a lengthy overview of accusations against Bolsonaro, alleging that he had “full knowledge” of the coup plan and had “planned, acted in, and led” the efforts to prevent Lula from taking office.
After the charges were announced, Bolsonaro denied any wrongdoing, insisting he had “no concerns about the accusations.” During a visit to the Senate in Brasilia, he questioned reporters, “Have you seen the coup decree? You haven’t. Neither have I.”
There are reports that Bolsonaro is in Brasilia attempting to negotiate a potential amnesty deal. If convicted, he could face up to 28 years in prison, according to CNN Brasil. In 2023, Bolsonaro was banned from public office for eight years following a separate investigation that found him guilty of abusing power by spreading misinformation about the Brazilian electoral system to foreign governments.
Credit: CNN
