2022 Brazilian coup plot

Jair Bolsonaro and military authorities in December 2020
Visit of president-elect Lula da Silva to the Superior Court of Justice in December 2022

During and after the 2022 Brazilian presidential election, a network of members of former president Jair Bolsonaro's government and of the Brazilian Armed Forces planned to subvert the transition of power to newly elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, arrest Supreme Federal Court (STF) justice Alexandre de Moraes and President of the Federal Senate Rodrigo Pacheco, as well as shut down several government institutions, such as the National Congress, the Superior Electoral Court and the Supreme Federal Court, in an attempt to keep Jair Bolsonaro in power and possibly consolidate his control over the federal government.[1][2] The plans, evidence, and individuals involved in planning a coup d'état were gradually revealed in investigations conducted by public agencies and the press in 2023 and 2024.[3][4]

Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing[5] and says he "suffer[s] relentless persecution".[6]

After Bolsonaro supporters stormed the Congress and Supreme Court on 8 January 2023, more than 1,400 people were charged for their alleged role in the riots.[7] Valdemar Costa Neto, head of the Liberal Party, and three aides to Bolsonaro were arrested on 8 February 2024.[8][9]

On 21 November 2024, the Federal Police indicted Bolsonaro and 36 people for an attempt to overthrow Brazil's democratic institutions, including a plot to assassinate Lula da Silva, then-Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.[10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference metropoles1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference otempo2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "PF: Áudios de aliados de Bolsonaro evidenciam plano de golpe e prisão de Moraes" [PF: Audios from Bolsonaro's allies reveal coup plan and arrest of Moraes]. O Tempo. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  4. ^ "PF diz que mensagens em celulares de aliados de Bolsonaro evidenciam plano de golpe e prisão de Moraes" ["PF says that messages on cell phones from Bolsonaro's allies show a coup plan and arrest of Moraes"]. O Globo. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  5. ^ Rosati, Andrew; Iglesias, Simone (8 February 2024). "Bolsonaro Targeted by Police in Probe Into Alleged Coup Plotters". BNN Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P. Bloomberg. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  6. ^ Nicas, Jack (8 February 2024). "Bolsonaro and Allies Planned a Coup, Brazil Police Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  7. ^ Vanessa Buschschlüter (Feb 8, 2024). "Brazil's ex-leader Bolsonaro surrenders passport over coup probe". BBC.
  8. ^ Samantha Pearson; Luciana Magalhaes. "Brazilian Police Target Former President Bolsonaro Over Coup Accusations: Authorities seize Bolsonaro's passport, make four arrests and search homes of his aides as an investigation advances". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  9. ^ Jeantet, Diane; Biller, David (8 February 2024). "Brazil police investigate ex-President Bolsonaro's top aides over alleged coup plot". AP News. Associated Press. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference ind was invoked but never defined (see the help page).