Brazilian police indict former President Bolsonaro and aides over alleged 2022 coup attempt

By GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA and MAURICIO SAVARESE, Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s national constabulary said Thursday they indicted erstwhile President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 different radical for allegedly attempting a coup to support him successful bureau aft his decision successful the 2022 elections.

Police said their findings were being delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court, which indispensable determine whether to notation them to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who volition either formally complaint Bolsonaro and enactment him connected trial, oregon flip the investigation.

The erstwhile right-wing president has denied each claims helium tried to enactment successful bureau aft his constrictive electoral defeat successful 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a bid of ineligible threats since then.

Police said successful a little connection that the Supreme Court had agreed to uncover the names of each 37 radical who were indicted “to debar the dissemination of incorrect news.” The 700-page constabulary papers apt volition instrumentality respective days for the tribunal to review, Supreme Court justness Alexandre de Moraes said.

Dozens of erstwhile and existent Bolsonaro aides besides were indicted, including Gen. Walter Braga Netto, who was his moving mate successful the 2022 campaign; erstwhile Army commandant Gen. Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira; Valdemar Costa Neto, the president of Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party; and his seasoned erstwhile adviser, Gen. Augusto Heleno.

The probe started past year. On Tuesday, 4 subject men and 1 national constabulary cause were arrested arsenic portion of the aforesaid probe.

Other investigations absorption connected Bolosnaro’s imaginable roles successful smuggling diamond jewelry into Brazil without decently declaring them, and successful directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ COVID-19 vaccination statuses. Bolsonaro has denied immoderate engagement successful either.

Another probe recovered that helium had abused his authority to formed uncertainty connected the country’s voting system, and judges barred him from moving again until 2030.

The far-reaching investigations person weakened Bolsonaro’s presumption arsenic a person of Brazil’s close wing, said Carlos Melo, a governmental subject prof astatine Insper University successful Sao Paulo.

“Bolsonaro is already barred from moving successful the 2026 elections,” Melo told the The Associated Press.

“And if helium is convicted helium could besides beryllium jailed by then. To debar being down bars, helium volition person to person Supreme Court justices that helium has thing to bash with a crippled that involves dozens of his aids. That’s a precise gangly order,” Melo said.

On Tuesday, the national constabulary arrested 4 subject and a national constabulary serviceman accused of plotting to overthrow the authorities pursuing the 2022 elections, including alleged plans to termination Lula and different apical officials.