The Brazilian political sphere is engulfed in a serious allegation involving its former president.
Ex-President Jair Bolsonaro, along with 36 others, faces indictment on multiple severe charges, including attempting to kill the current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva before he took office, Breitbart reported.
These indictments stem from a supposed conspiracy to assassinate President Lula, then-Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Federal Tribunal Minister Alexandre de Moraes. They planned this audacious act for December 15, 2022.
The plotters dubbed the operation "Green and Yellow Dagger," and they allegedly planned it with meticulous attention, involving advanced military strategies and connections. They reportedly printed documents relevant to their sinister plan within the government's very walls at the Alvorada Palace and the Planalto on November 9, 2022, and December 6, 2022, respectively.
The Federal Police have characterized Jair Bolsonaro as the "leader of a criminal organization." This is not his first time facing the judicial system, as his indictment records reveal prior charges, including embezzlement and conspiracy on various issues.
Following the revelation of the indictment, Bolsonaro quickly condemned the actions of STF Minister de Moraes and criticized the integrity of the investigation. He notably said, “Minister Alexandre de Moraes conducts the entire investigation, adjusts testimonies, arrests without charges, fishes for evidence and has a very creative advisory board. He does everything the law doesn’t say”.
The Brazilian Federal Police disclosed, “The plan drawn up by those under investigation detailed the human and military resources needed to carry out the actions, using advanced military operational techniques, in addition to the subsequent establishment of an ‘Institutional Crisis Management Office’ to be integrated by the investigated parties themselves to manage institutional conflicts arising as a result of the actions.”
The methods used to uncover such detailed schematics of the coup included the breach of computer, telephone, banking, and tax confidentiality. The investigation also made use of plea bargains along with authorized searches and seizures.
Bolsonaro and his alleged accomplices face charges including staging a coup, violently abolishing the democratic rule of law, and participating in organized crime. If found guilty, the justice system may impose prison terms ranging from three to twelve years.
The authorities will forward the case to the Attorney General’s Office on November 25 for further decision, potentially setting trial dates throughout 2025 — possibly in March, April, or June.
President Lula commented on the ordeal, reflecting both dismay and gratitude for his survival. “I’m a guy who has a lot more to be thankful for because I’m alive. The attempt to poison me and [Vice President] Alckmin didn’t work — we’re here,” he remarked during a public address.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva continued, "And I don’t want to poison anyone. I don’t even want to persecute anyone. The only thing I want is that when my term ends, we demoralize with numbers those who governed before us. I want to measure with numbers who has built more schools in this country, who has taken more care of the poor in this country."
This case presents a significant challenge to Brazil's democracy, coming off a presidential tenure filled with strife and speculation over its democratic processes. Jair Bolsonaro's leadership has been marked by controversy and now, potentially, criminal activity against the very structure he once swore to protect.
