Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is currently under investigation as part of a probe into an alleged attempted coup to maintain his grip on power, as disclosed by one of his ex-aides.
Brazilian Federal Police conducted Operation Tempus Veritatis, executing 33 search warrants and arresting four individuals. The operation aims to uncover a criminal organization’s efforts to subvert democratic principles and retain Bolsonaro’s presidency unlawfully.
Among the enforced precautionary measures are bans on contact with other suspects, leaving the country, and engaging in public functions.
Although Bolsonaro’s involvement hasn’t been officially confirmed, his lawyer, Fabio Wajngarten, acknowledged his inclusion in the investigation and affirmed Bolsonaro’s compliance with the imposed measures.
While Bolsonaro himself remains unarrested and uncharged, two of his former aides are among the arrested individuals. Additionally, several ex-ministers from Bolsonaro’s administration are under scrutiny.
The investigation uncovered a scheme aiming to discredit the integrity of Brazil’s electronic voting system, a tactic employed to justify a military intervention. Another facet of the alleged plot involves orchestrating a coup d’état with military involvement.
The probe implicates Bolsonaro in potential crimes of criminal organization, subversion of democracy, and attempted coup.
Bolsonaro’s persistent criticism of Brazil’s electronic voting system, despite his prior electoral victories using the same system, aligns with the investigation’s findings. However, he lost the 2022 election to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, intensifying his discontent with the electoral process.
President Lula refrained from commenting extensively on the ongoing investigation but expressed hopes for a fair legal process and respect for Bolsonaro’s presumption of innocence. Lula’s reference to Bolsonaro’s past lack of presumption of innocence echoes the latter’s historic corruption conviction, subsequently overturned.
