Brazil’s Former President Jair Bolsonaro Indicted for Alleged Coup Plot

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was charged on Tuesday with attempting to stage a coup to remain in office after losing the 2022 elections.

According to the Federal Public Ministry of Brazil, Bolsonaro and 33 others allegedly participated in a plan called “Green and Yellow Dagger”, which aimed to overthrow democracy and prevent the newly elected president from taking office.

Evidence of the Plot

Authorities claim that the charges are based on documents, messages, and files that show how the plan against democratic institutions was organized.

“The scheme was designed to break the democratic order,” states the Public Ministry’s report. It also points out that Bolsonaro was the leader of the group, which included both civilians and military personnel, and that their goal was to prevent the election results from being upheld.

Attacks on the Electoral System Since 2021

Investigations indicate that everything started in 2021 when Bolsonaro began attacking the electoral system in his speeches and social media posts. In July 2022, during his campaign, he met with ambassadors to discredit the elections and lay the groundwork for questioning the results.

During the second round of elections, authorities claim that security forces were used to obstruct opposition voters. Additionally, officials from the Federal District’s Public Security Secretariat allegedly facilitated violent acts, such as the riots on January 8, 2023.

An Extreme Plan: Eliminating Lula and His Allies

One of the most shocking revelations of the investigation is that within the coup plan, there was consideration of assassinating President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President Gerardo Alckmin, and a Supreme Federal Court (STF) judge. According to the report, Bolsonaro approved these actions while still in office.

The attacks on January 8, when radical groups stormed government buildings in Brasília, were the culmination of the plan, with thousands of protesters demanding military intervention. The damages caused that day were estimated at more than 20 million reais.

What Comes Next in the Judicial Process?

Now, the charges against Bolsonaro will be reviewed by Alexandre de Moraes, the STF judge overseeing the case, who will decide the next steps in the process.

Meanwhile, Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s son and a senator, defended his father on social media. On his X (formerly Twitter) account, he stated that the accusation lacks evidence and that the prosecution is merely trying to benefit Lula’s government.

“Even after Alexandre de Moraes pressured the Public Ministry and tortured Mauro Cid to fabricate accusations, the prosecution continues with this political persecution,” he wrote.

What is happening is an injustice, a political persecution against Bolsonaro. Anyone who glances at the complaint can see: it doesn’t hold up. pic.twitter.com/jlXNZlOkLs

— Flavio Bolsonaro (@FlavioBolsonaro) February 19, 2025

Bolsonaro and His Political Future

Bolsonaro, who has already been disqualified from the 2026 elections, claims that all these legal issues are merely a strategy to prevent his return to power. However, with this new charge, his situation becomes even more complicated.