Prime Suspect
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Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro conspired to overturn the 2022 election results following his defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and aimed to prevent his successor’s inauguration through a coordinated coup attempt, a probe by Brazil’s federal police found, Reuters reported.
The probe – initially expected to wrap up in August – was extended as police reviewed evidence from a related investigation into alleged illegal surveillance activities targeting Bolsonaro’s political rivals during his presidency.
Reuters reported the conclusions of the federal police’s investigation, which they are expected to announce next month during its submission to the Supreme Court.
A source with direct knowledge of the investigation told the newswire that the new findings show that Bolsonaro and his allies devised a scheme to halt the democratic transition, with the former president allegedly involved in editing a draft decree intended to nullify the election results.
The source added that the pro-Bolsonaro riots in the capital on Jan. 8, 2023, which saw protesters invading and ransacking Brazil’s main governmental offices just one week after Lula took office, was viewed as the “last breath of an attempted coup.”
Bolsonaro’s legal team has not commented on the latest findings. The former populist president – currently embroiled in a series of legal challenges – has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In a separate development, Brazil’s top electoral court has barred Bolsonaro from holding public office until 2030 after finding him guilty of abuse of power and misusing the media to spread unfounded claims about the country’s electronic voting system.
Bolsonaro is also under investigation for other alleged criminal acts, including tampering with Covid-19 vaccination records and embezzling Saudi jewels.
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