Former Brazilian President Charged with Alleged Coup Attempt
Bolsonaro Arrives at a Luncheon with Supporters (Photo: AP News / Eraldo Peres)
The prosecutor general of Brazil, Paulo Gonet Branco, officially charged former President Jair Bolsonaro with attempting a coup to prevent Lula Da Silva from taking office in the upcoming 2026 Presidential election. The plan included an action plan of poisoning President Lula Da Silva and shooting the Supreme Court Justice Alexandre De Moraes.
Although former President Bolsonaro can not run for President until 2030 because he accused Brazil's voting system of fraud and abused his power while in office, he is very antagonistic toward the current president Luiz Inácio Lula De Silva, who defeated him in the 2022 election. Jair Bolsonaro is part of the Partido Liberal and is known for his more conservative policies, whereas Lula Da Silva is a part of the Partido de los Trabajadores, a left-wing party with more progressive ideas.
Bolsonaro and 33 other individuals were accused. The indictment specified a coup plan called the “Green and Yellow Dagger.” Those indicted, along with Bolsonaro, are said to have actively participated in an armed criminal organization that damaged state assets. A police investigation of the events leading up to Jan. 2023, when thousands of Bolsonaro supporters marched into different government buildings, including Congress and the Presidential Palace, has supported this information.
The case has been handed over to the Supreme Court, where Justice Alexandre De Moraes will decide whether to proceed with putting Bolsonaro on trial. Bolsonaro denies any accusations and, along with his supporters, claims that he is being targeted by Lula’s regime to prevent him from running in future presidential elections. In addition, supporters also claim that Lula has faced corruption allegations without any legal recourse, alleging selective justice.
Bolsonaro arrives at the airport after indictment (Photo: AP News / Heuler Andrew)
In Brazil, typical coup charges carry a penalty of 12 years. However, because Bolsonaro faces five additional accusations, including but not limited to abolishing the rule of law and damaging state assets, he could potentially be sentenced to over 20 years in prison. It is expected that the Supreme Court Justice will rule in favor of trial within the upcoming days. Even if Bolsonaro is not put on trial, he still faces a variety of legal battles. These legal troubles include Bolsonaro being accused of tampering with Public health information and smuggling jewelry from Saudi Arabia into Brazil.
When it comes to Bolsonaro's legal team, they promise to appeal any accusation and insist that the judiciary is biased. Although some Brazilians still believe that his name will be on the 2026 ballot, the Partido Liberal is actively searching for new candidates.
Regarding the international community’s point of view, neighboring countries such as Colombia and Argentina regard the possible trial as an important aspect of upholding the rule of law both within Brazil but also within Latin America as a whole. However, others, such as El Salvador, believe the trial might be a potential judicial overreach and a trend of persecution against more politically conservative leaders.