Jair Bolsonaro: Police demand charges against him for attempted coup

The Brazilian federal police want to bring right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro to court for an attempted coup. He is said to have planned a coup together with allies in “a criminal organization” in order to stay in power after his election defeat in October 2022 against current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the federal police said.

Based on the results of the investigation, the public prosecutor’s office must decide whether to follow the federal police’s recommendation and bring charges against Bolsonaro and 36 other suspects.

The investigation, which according to the police lasted almost two years, showed that the accused were clearly structured through a division of tasks. Groups were formed, including one responsible for disinformation and attacks on the electoral system and another responsible for “inciting the military to commit a coup.”

In addition to Bolsonaro, former general and head of the Cabinet for Institutional Security under Bolsonaro, Augusto Heleno, former Defense Minister Braga Netto and the former president of the Brazilian Secret Service, Alexandre Ramagem, were also accused. All are accused of crimes of violent abolition of the democratic constitutional state, a coup and the formation of a criminal organization. Bolsonaro rejects the allegations against him.

On January 8, 2023, supporters of the ex-military Bolsonaro, who did not want to recognize Lula’s election victory, stormed Congress, the seat of government and the Supreme Court in Brasília and caused considerable damage.