Key Takeaways:
• Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others have been indicted over an alleged coup attempt in 2022.
• Brazil’s top court will decide on the next steps, potentially leading to formal charges and a trial.
• Several probes into Bolsonaro’s actions during his presidency are ongoing, including suspected smuggling and falsifying Covid-19 vaccination statuses.
• Bolsonaro is already barred from running in the 2026 elections, and a guilty verdict could potentially lead to jail time.
Indictment Details Unveiled
Brazil’s federal police indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others on Thursday for an alleged coup attempt aimed at retaining Bolsonaro’s leadership after his defeat in the 2022 elections. This substantial revelation is currently under review by Brazil’s Supreme Court, tasked with determining if there is sufficient evidence to pass on to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet. Upon receipt, Gonet can either formally charge Bolsonaro and commence a trial or dismiss the investigation.
Bolsonaro, a right-wing political figure, has vehemently denied all accusations of trying to usurp power after narrowly losing the 2022 election to his leftist opponent, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Since his electoral defeat, Bolsonaro has found himself at risk from various legal challenges.
Accompanying Bolsonaro in this indictment are several former and current aides, including Gen. Walter Braga Netto, his 2022 running mate, and Gen. Augusto Heleno, a long-time adviser. The list also features the Liberal Party’s chairman, Valdemar Costa Neto, and a former Army commander, Gen. Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira.
Investigation Timeline and Potential Implications
The federal police’s investigation into the coup attempt commenced last year, with five individuals, including four military men and one federal police agent, arrested earlier this week.
Aside from this mass indictment, other ongoing investigations focus on Bolsonaro’s suspected misconduct during his presidency. These include suspected smuggling of diamond jewelry into Brazil without proper documentation and prompting a subordinate to falsify his and others’ COVID-19 vaccination statuses. The former president has consistently denied any involvement in these illicit activities.
Another investigation has recently grounded Bolsonaro, finding him guilty of undermining the country’s voting system and henceforth barring him from participating in any elections until 2030.
“Bolsonaro is already barred from running in the 2026 elections,” shared Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo. If a conviction ensues from this alleged coup attempt, he could face jail time as well, further tarnishing his image as the Brazilian right wing’s leader. Melo added, “To avoid being behind bars, he will have to convince Supreme Court justices that he has nothing to do with a plot that involves dozens of his aides. That’s a very tall order.”
The multiple, ongoing investigations have serious implications for Bolsonaro’s political standing and the overall state of Brazilian politics. As more details of these probes emerge, Brazilians, and the world at large, eagerly await the Supreme Court’s decision – a decision that could alter the trajectory of Brazil’s political landscape.