SAO PAULO –
Brazil’s federal police said Thursday they indicted former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 other people on charges of attempting a coup to keep him in office after his electoral defeat in the 2022 elections.
The findings were to be delivered Thursday to Brazil’s Supreme Court to be referred to Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who will either agree with the charges and put the former president on trial or toss the investigation.
The former right-wing leader has denied all claims he tried to stay in office after his electoral defeat in 2022 to his rival, leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Bolsonaro has faced a series of legal threats since then.
Other investigations focus on his potential roles in smuggling diamond jewelry into Brazil without properly declaring them, and in directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ COVID-19 vaccination statuses. Bolsonaro has denied any involvement in either.
On Tuesday, the federal police arrested four military and a federal police officer accused of plotting a coup that included plans to overthrow the government following the 2022 elections and allegedly kill Lula and other top officials.