Brazil's ex-defence minister arrested over 2022 coup plot

Brazil’s federal police on Saturday arrested the close ally of Jair Bolsanaro and the former defence minister Walter Braga Netto for plotting a coup to overturn the election results of 2022.

Netto, who also served as chief of staff for former President Jair Bolsonaro, has denied the accusations levelled against him and said he had no role to play in the events of 2022.

In a statement that did not name Braga Netto, federal police said it had served two search warrants, an arrest warrant and a precautionary measure other than arrest against people allegedly hindering investigations.

What has Netto been accused of?

Authorities allege that conspirators, including Braga Netto and other senior military officials, planned for Bolsonaro to issue a “coup decree” authorizing a military takeover. The following day, Braga Netto and former institutional security minister Gen Augusto Heleno were reportedly set to lead a “crisis management” cabinet.

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Investigators believe the conspirators also intended to target perceived opponents of Bolsonaro’s far-right political movement, potentially through assassination or kidnapping. Among the alleged targets were Lula, his centrist vice-president Geraldo Alckmin, and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.

Police say Bolsonaro planned 2022 coup

Meanwhile, last month, Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, an unsealed federal police report revealed.

“The evidence collected throughout the investigation shows unequivocally that then-President Jair Messias Bolsonaro planned, acted and was directly and effectively aware of the actions of the criminal organization aiming to launch a coup d’etat and eliminate the democratic rule of law, which did not take place due to reasons unrelated to his desire,” the document said.

At another point, it says: “Bolsonaro had full awareness and active participation.”

Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or awareness of any plot to keep him in power or oust his leftist rival and successor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

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With inputs from agencies