Bolsonaro Faces Formal Coup Charges as Brazil’s Prosecutor-General Alleges Assassination Plot

Brazil’s Prosecutor-General, Paulo Gonet, has formally charged former President Jair Bolsonaro with attempting a coup to stay in power after his 2022 election defeat. The accusations go beyond electoral subversion, alleging that Bolsonaro approved a plot to poison his successor, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and assassinate Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The charges, filed with Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court, implicate 33 other officials, including key figures from Bolsonaro’s government, in a conspiracy to undermine democracy.

Prosecutors argue that Bolsonaro’s administration systematically attacked the credibility of Brazil’s electronic voting system and sought to manipulate state security agencies to suppress votes for Lula. Following Lula’s victory, Bolsonaro’s allies allegedly worked to overturn the results, culminating in violent attacks on government buildings on January 8, 2023. The charges include participation in an armed criminal organization, an attempted violent abolition of democratic rule, and threats against state assets.

The Supreme Court will now review the charges, and if accepted, Bolsonaro will stand trial. The case marks an unprecedented legal challenge for the former president, who has long denied involvement in election subversion. If convicted, Bolsonaro and his co-conspirators could face severe legal consequences, potentially reshaping Brazil’s political landscape.