Brazilian federal police have released an 884-page report implicating former President Jair Bolsonaro in an alleged criminal organization aimed at overturning the 2022 presidential election won by leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The report accuses Bolsonaro of planning a coup with members of Brazil’s armed forces to retain power even after losing the election. The evidence collected shows Bolsonaro was directly involved in the actions of this criminal organization. The report has been sent to Brazil’s top prosecutor for a decision on charges against Bolsonaro.
The accusations against Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking officials, are the latest in a series of legal challenges for the former president. Bolsonaro has denied all claims of attempting to stay in office after his electoral defeat. His baseless claims about election accuracy led to his disqualification from holding office until 2030 by Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court.
The tense 2022 election ended in a close race with Lula emerging as the winner. Bolsonaro refused to concede defeat, sparking protests by his supporters who engaged in violent acts to try to remove Lula from power. Leaked audio recordings suggest high-ranking military officers were involved in conspiring to keep Bolsonaro in power. Bolsonaro has dismissed the police accusations as baseless and vowed to fight them with his lawyers. This investigation adds to the political turmoil in Brazil following the contentious 2022 election.
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