Brazilian federal police have reportedly foiled an audacious plot aimed at derailing the peaceful transfer of power by allegedly planning to assassinate the country’s president-elect. On Tuesday, a law enforcement operation resulted in the arrest of five individuals accused of conspiring to execute Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who won the presidency in October 2022, as well as his vice president, Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, ahead of the January inauguration. More details on the arrests can be found on the federal police’s announcement.
The alleged conspirators reportedly had military backgrounds, with advanced special forces training, making the threat particularly concerning. The plan was to execute the operation on December 15, 2022, prompting preventative measures from Justice Moraes, including issuing search and seizure warrants, prohibiting international travel, and suspending the suspects from public duties. The Supreme Court’s decision regarding these measures is outlined in more detail on their official news page.
Among those detained was Mario Fernandes, a former high-ranking official in the previous administration, accused of orchestrating logistical and financial support for the coup attempt. This follows earlier indications of unrest, evidenced by widespread protests by supporters of the previous president, Jair Bolsonaro, who had rejected the election results. The unrest escalated to an attack on state institutions, an event further chronicled in a JURIST report that outlines the serious challenges faced by Brazil’s democratic institutions.
Ongoing investigations continue, with the detainees potentially facing severe charges such as planning a violent coup and belonging to a criminal organization. An overview of this significant event is available on the original JURIST article.